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Formula 1
Chinese GP
F1 Chinese GP Live Commentary and Updates – Race
Minute-by-minute updates for the 2024 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix.
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After five years away, F1 has returned to Shanghai and with it the first sprint race format of the 2024 season.
Following Max Verstappen’s Saturday double of the sprint race win and pole position for the grand prix, can anyone catch him and Red Bull?
The Chinese GP starts at 8am BST (3pm local time).
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Pit stop
Alonso pits from fifth, swapping his softs for fresh mediums, and comes out in 12th. He'll attack to the end to get into the points.
Another move between the penalised as Magnussen moves his way past Sargeant for 13th.
A really stylish move from the Dane, set-up through the first three corner before passing at Turn 6.
A really stylish move from the Dane, set-up through the first three corner before passing at Turn 6.
Norris leaks 1.2s to Perez on the next lap to see the gap fall to 4.1s.
Into the final 15 laps, Verstappen's lead is up to 6s. Perez has trimmed the gap to Norris to 5.3s.
Oh what a move this is. Hamilton says enough is enough and goes around the outside at the right-hander of Turn 8, giving him the inside at Turn 9.
Hamilton is on the prowl and has Hulkenberg on the defensive. It looks like the Mercedes is through but no, great work from Hulkenberg to hold ninth.
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Piastri: "How much damage do we have?"
"Damage is significant." It seems Piastri was tagged by Ricciardo in the restart meleé.
"Damage is significant." It seems Piastri was tagged by Ricciardo in the restart meleé.
Sainz, another driver somewhat forced on to the one-stopper by not pitting under the safety car, is being hunted down by Russell for sixth.
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"Are you sure we are pushing for Plan D? Because tyres are not great," Leclerc questions his Ferrari squad. The response is "everyone is on Plan D". Which isn't technically true, but Ferrari gonna Ferrari when it comes to strategy.
Perez makes his move on Leclerc down the inside at Turn 6 on lap 39. That's the same move he made on Alonso earlier in the race and it gives him third place.
A huge cheer from the fans in the grandstands as Zhou pulls off a late dive on Sargeant to move up to 13th.
Not a lot is dampening Verstappen's day though, as he pushes his lead to 3.7s over Norris at the end of lap 38.
Piastri is struggling for pace in eighth at the moment. He sits over three seconds down on Russell and has Hulkenberg closing in, dragging Hamilton with him.
The pair of safety cars that initially looked like a disaster for Norris, as he missed that first chance to pit, have turned into a huge opportunity to split the Red Bulls. Norris is 4s clear of Leclerc who is still holding off Perez.
Stroll labels his penalty 'a joke' as he makes a stop. Replays show Sargeant's infringement.
He should have fed behind Hulkenberg after the Haas pitted but goodness me, it seems harsh. It was almost a dead-heat to the safety car line.
He should have fed behind Hulkenberg after the Haas pitted but goodness me, it seems harsh. It was almost a dead-heat to the safety car line.
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"For low speed understeer we suggest engine braking," Norris is offered over team radio. "No thank you," is his reply. Who is driving this car?
Perez is tucked up behind Leclerc but hasn't been able to fly by with DRS yet.
At the front, Verstappen is 2.1s ahead of Norris who in turn has a 2.4s gap over Leclerc.
That news hasn't stopped Stroll and Magnussen from having a right ding-dong all the way from Turn 7 to the final corner - side-by-side almost the whole way. Fantastic stuff!
Where's that 'you get a penalty, and you get a penalty, and you get a penalty' meme?
Penalty
Three 10-second penalties have been dished out: Sargeant committed an infringement behind the safety car, whilst Stroll and Magnussen are punished for their collisions with the RBs.
The RB's pace has created a bottleneck with Sargeant, Gasly, Zhou, Magnussen and Stroll all ready to pounce.
Ricciardo pulls out of the way and will retire.
Ricciardo pulls out of the way and will retire.
Stopwatch
Norris is already out of DRS range from Verstappen though, as Verstappen's 1m38.604s on the first restart lap is the new fastest lap of the race.
Ricciardo's race may not last much longer. Ocon makes it three places lost on the restart lap and he is overtaken by Albon into Turn 1.
All well behaved at the front, as DRS is enabled at the start of lap 33.
Hulkenberg and Ricciardo battle side-by-side at Turn 5 and the Haas moves through.
Hamilton follows the German and moves into the points.
Hamilton follows the German and moves into the points.
Green flag
The Red Bull driver nails the same restart plan and it works again. Verstappen is clear of Norris.
Verstappen controls the pack for the second restart. Let's keep it clean this time, please.
Hamilton watch: The Mercedes is 11th for the restart, with Hulkenberg and a damaged Ricciardo ahead.
And just like that, race control confirms the safety car is coming in. Here we go again.
The safety car is still out as lap 31 starts, but I suspect the restart isn't far away.
Sainz is now being asked to one-stop to the end of the race but he pitted much earlier than Norris and Leclerc so his current set of hards are going to be very old and worn over the final laps. But he has benefitted from these laps being eaten up and not using up his tyres.
Tsunoda's car has been lifted to safety by a rickety-looking recovery vehicle. Perhaps one more lap behind the safety car to come.
Just before the safety car was called Alonso got ahead of Sainz so he is up to fifth. The front of the pack must be thinking what that was all about with the restart and second safety car. Really messy from those behind.
No surprises in finding out both incidents have been noted by race control.
Then at Turn 5, Magnussen came from a long way back to try and get past Tsunoda but left-front to right-rear contact leaves the Japanese driver out and the Haas limping back with a puncture.
Alonso locked up into the hairpin at the restart and, as the pack bunched up, Stroll went into the back of Ricciardo. That's damage to both cars.
Safety car
A lot to unravel as the safety car is deployed.
Yellow flag
Stroll pits at the restart to ruin his race.
Tsunoda spins in the background, it looks like contact was made and that leaves the RB stranded.
Tsunoda spins in the background, it looks like contact was made and that leaves the RB stranded.
Verstappen is clear of Norris and it is well behaved at the front. Alonso, on his softs, is pressuring Sainz for fifth.
By: Autosport Staff
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