F1 round-up: Hamilton beats Vettel to win Chinese GP

Sport360 staff 13:02 09/04/2017

Lewis Hamilton powered to victory in the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday, gaining revenge for his defeat by Sebastian Vettel in the Formula One season opener in Melbourne.

The three-time world champion, who started on pole, steered his Mercedes to a crushing Shanghai win, beating Vettel’s Ferrari by just over six seconds with Max Verstappen finishing third for Red Bull.

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DRIVER OF THE DAY

Max Verstappen was inspired, rising 13 places over the course of the 56 laps from P16 to P3 displaying a stunning pace and sense of timing few of his rivals on the grid can come anywhere close to matching.

The 19-year-old may have finished 45 seconds behind Lewis Hamilton, but his first podium in Shanghai illustrated why he’ll be a force to be reckoned with over the season… providing he can avoid starting 16th.

FASTEST LAP

Hamilton had a majestic weekend, leading in every lap of the race before clocking the best time of 1:35.378 on lap 45, just as Sebastian Vettel was beginning to breathe down his neck in the final third of the GP.

Vettel’s 1:35.423 on lap 40 proved the second-fastest, with Valtteri Bottas’ 1:26.849 on 41 third as he tried to push himself back into the podium picture following a disastrous spin earlier in the race.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

Antonio Giovinazzi endured a nightmare Chinese Grand Prix with a weekend full of problems.

The Sauber driver crashed in Q1 and was subsequently hit with a grid penalty for a changed gear box. Started from P18, the Italian crashed out on the 4th lap to end his Sauber stint on a sour note – with Pascal Wehrlein expected to return for the Bahrain GP next week.

ONE TO WATCH

On his debut season with Force India, Esteban Ocon once again impressed with a 10th-place, replicating his encouraging placing in Melbourne a fortnight ago.

The Frenchman was brilliant in the closing stages, overtaking the vastly experienced Williams of Felipe Massa 10 laps from the end to take 10th place and then delivering his fastest lap of the race – and the ninth quickest overall – on 55 to confirm his place in the points.

Esteban Ocon.

Esteban Ocon.

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