Piastri Wins China GP, Hamilton wins Sprint, Norris holds P1 in GFT Rankings

23 March 2025
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

SHANGHAI CHINA — McLaren F1 driver Oscar Piastri led 53 of the 56-lap Chinese Grand Prix Sunday on the Shanghai International Circuit. Piastri was the fastest in qualifying, starting from the pole position for the GP after placing 2nd in Saturday’s Sprint race won by 7x F1 Champion Lewis Hamilton now racing for Ferrari.

With the win and laps led, Oscar Piastri moves up to P2 in the GFT F1 AI Driver Rankings behind McLaren teammate Lando Norris. Piastri is 4th in F1’s Driver Points, but GFT AI algorithms factor in wins and laps led as part of our proprietary AI scoring matrix.

Go Full Throttle F1 AI Driver Rankings following the Chinese GP on March 23, 2025, at the Shanghai International Circuit (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

Winners quote:

“It’s been an incredible weekend from start to finish,” said Piastri. “The car’s been pretty mega the whole time. I think today was a bit of a surprise with how the tires behaved, but I’m just super proud of the whole weekend. This is what I feel like I deserved from last week. The team did a mega job with the 1–2. I’m very, very happy.”

Piastri was in control from the start to the finish of Sunday’s race (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Race Recap:

The Chinese Grand Prix delivered a thrilling spectacle at the Shanghai International Circuit, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri emerging victorious. The young Australian outpaced teammate Lando Norris and Mercedes’ George Russell to secure his second win of the 2025 season, further cementing his reputation as a rising star in Formula 1.

From the outset, Piastri demonstrated his intent. Starting from pole position, he capitalized on a clean start to challenge for the lead early on. The race, however, was not without drama. A mid-race Safety Car period — triggered by a collision between two midfield runners — bunched up the field, erasing Piastri’s hard-earned advantage. Yet, his restart was flawless, allowing him to maintain control and fend off mounting pressure from Norris and Russell.

George Russell claims P3 in Shanghai for Mercedes (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Norris, finishing second, made it a McLaren 1–2, a result that underscores the team’s resurgence this season. The Brit pushed hard, closing the gap in the final laps, but Piastri’s tire management and defensive driving proved decisive. Russell, meanwhile, rounded out the podium in third, delivering a solid performance for Mercedes despite lacking the pace to challenge the McLarens over the full distance.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, a dominant force in recent years, had an uncharacteristically quiet race, finishing outside the podium. The Dutchman struggled with balance issues, hinting at potential cracks in Red Bull’s armor as McLaren and Mercedes close the gap in the Constructors’ Championship battle. Ferrari also failed to impress, with both cars finishing in the midfield, raising questions about how Lewis Hamilton’s win in Saturday’s Sprint race didn’t translate over to a full-distance GP.

There was contact between the Ferrari drivers on the opening lap of the race (Image Credit: formula1.com)

Piastri’s win moves him up the Drivers’ Championship standings, while McLaren’s double-podium finish strengthens their bid for second in the Constructors’ race. With the season heating up, all eyes will be on the next round (Japanese GP April 4–6) to see if Piastri can maintain this momentum. For now, though, the Australian’s Shanghai triumph is a reminder of his potential to shape F1’s future and McLaren’s top performance.