SUMMARY
- Ferrari's anticipated triumph at the Chinese Grand Prix turned into a disappointing weekend due to strategic errors and mishaps.
- Lando Norris, initially wary of Ferrari's pace, surpassed expectations by securing a surprising podium finish.
Lando Norris’ ecstatic podium celebration at the Chinese Grand Prix revealed a surprising pre-race mentality. The McLaren driver entered the event with a significant degree of caution, deeply shocked by the pace Ferrari showcased in the race weekend. So convinced were his limitations, Norris even placed a lighthearted bet against himself and his team, anticipating a dominant Ferrari victory.
In the last few races, Ferrari has been one of the major rivals to the reigning champions. Carlos Sainz had managed to maintain a 100% podium rate in every race he participated, except for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix. However, the Grand Prix unfolded in a dramatically different manner. Against the Ferrari driven by Charles Leclerc, Norris found himself unexpectedly holding his own.
Shanghai emerged as a race of missed opportunities for Ferrari
Ferrari expected to win the Chinese Grand Prix which eventually turned into a frustrating weekend. Although they showed signs that indicated a fast pace, they were unsuccessful due to poor planning and a mishap involving one of their drivers. Although Ferrari showed potential in the Sprint race, their difficulties with tire warm-up during qualifying resulted in less-than-optimal starting positions for Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.
carlos sainz woke up feeling dangerous this weekend 😤🔥
almost caused a ferrari double dnf in the sprint 🎯
crashed in q2 🥵
got humbled by stroll in the race 😈
finished +10 seconds behind his teammate 🥶REDBULL CONTRACT WHEN?? 😎
— rem (@leclerqz) April 21, 2024
They were forced to battle through a crowded midfield as a result of P6 and P7 starting spots, which limited their choices strategically. Disaster struck on the very first lap as a misjudgment by Sainz resulted in contact with teammate Leclerc. With his vehicle damaged and having to make an early pit stop due to this expensive mishap, Sainz’s chances of finishing strongly were almost blown.
Concerns over internal communication within the Ferrari team were also raised by the crash. The Spaniard was out of the running, so it was up to Leclerc to save the weekend for Ferrari. He engaged in an aggressive midfield conflict, exhibiting a great fighting spirit. But a podium result remained impossible due to the speeding issues in the SF-24 car.
Lando Norris surprised by P2 finish against Ferrari at Chinese GP
The tactical choice made by McLaren to use a one-stop strategy for Lando Norris instead of Leclerc’s assumed two-stop plan started to pay off. A strategic windfall arrived in the form of a virtual safety car which was by a sidelined Valtteri Bottas. This unexpected window of opportunity allowed Norris to pit for fresh tires without sacrificing significant track position, further solidifying his advantage over Leclerc.
Lando Norris says he was surprised by the lack of pace from Ferrari cars and also by his own performance. He finished P2, above Checo at the Chinese Grand Prix. #Formula1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/omsnpcwjF9
— Sportsmanor (@sports_manor) April 21, 2024
In the post-race interview, the young Brit stated, “I was surprised by many things, the lack of pace from Ferrari today, our good pace, and I guess more us compared to the Red Bull which was so surprising. I just wasn’t expecting that today at all. I made a bet about how far behind the Ferraris we would finish today, I thought 35 seconds.”
Lando Norris was baffled by the poor performance of Prancing Horse as he had placed a bet for their dominant performance. After the virtual safety car phase ended and the actual safety car phase began, Norris found himself in the ideal position of P2 on the restart grid. Sergio Perez put up a strong fight, but Norris kept his cool and had a terrific effort to hold onto his lead.
