Max Verstappen Triumphs in Thrilling Sprint at Chinese Grand Prix, Extends Championship Lead

Max Verstappen secured victory in the first sprint race of the Formula One season at the Chinese Grand Prix outpacing Lewis Hamilton by over 13 seconds. Verstappen win extended his championship lead over teammate Sergio Perez who finished third. He described the opening laps as intense but found his rhythm after taking the lead on the ninth lap. With this win, Verstappen strengthened his dominance across all formats of F1. Lando Norris and Hamilton started at the front with Verstappen on the second row. 

The sprint race about one-third the length of a full race saw Verstappen earn eight points bringing his total to 85 in the standings while Perez added six. Hamilton expressed satisfaction with his second-place finish highlighting his absence from the front row in recent seasons. The sprint race was run on a dry track contrasting with the wet qualifying session on Friday. Verstappen likened Friday conditions to “driving on ice.” The Chinese Grand Prix marked the return of Formula 1 to China after a five years absence with changes to the track surface adding an element of uncertainty.