The second Formula 1 race of the 2025 season was taken by Oscar Piastri who put in a perfect performance from pole to flag.
However, there was late drama with three drivers disqualified by the stewards including both Ferrari men.
Driver ratings for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix
Oscar Piastri – 10
A perfect performance from Piastri who led from the first lap and only gave the lead up when he chose to come into the pits.
His biggest challenge was right at the start when George Russell got a better start, but Piastri sharpened up those elbows to cut across, not only protecting P1 but allowing Lando Norris to overtake into second.
Having secured the first pole of his career, Piastri made it his first win from pole, giving him a 100% record alongside five other drivers.
Lando Norris – 9
It turned out this race was ultimately lost on quali day with Lando Norris not able to keep up with winner Piastri throughout the grand prix.
One win apiece suggests 2025 is shaping up to be a tightly contested battle between the two McLaren drivers and fine margins like quali may well prove to be crucial.
After a disappointing Saturday, Norris made up for it with a couple of smart overtakes on Russell to secure a one-two for the team.
George Russell – 9.5
Two races, two podiums for George Russell who is enjoying an excellent start to the year.
With no one else able to land a glove on McLaren this weekend, Russell was the only driver to cause the Woking teams some problems. First by splitting them during quali and then by keeping just close enough behind to ensure McLaren did not have it all their own way.
Max Verstappen – 9
Another race where it seems like Max Verstappen has dragged an underwhelming car into a respectable position.
Anonymous for most of the race having dropped to sixth, Verstappen found some speed as the car shed fuel and was able to go on the attack. After passing Charles Leclerc, he may have done the same to George Russell but ran out of laps.
Esteban Ocon – 8.5
A fantastic drive from Esteban Ocon to secure the best result of his career since his podium in Sao Paulo. After Haas were a little disappointing in the opening race, they arrived in China much stronger and Ocon was able to capitalise on that.
A qualifying position of 11th became a seventh-place finish and when Hamilton and Leclerc were DSQed, Ocon was promoted to fifth.
Kimi Antonelli – 8
Not quite sure he deserved the vote of Driver of the Day but it was a good drive from Kimi Antonelli, building on his impressive debut in Melbourne.
He is still a step behind Russell but that is to be expected this early in his career.
Alex Albon – 7.5
2-0 Alex Albon in the Williams team battle as he continues to have a good start to the year. Williams arriving on schedule and crucially being on weight has finally given Albon a car to work with and he is making the most of it.
As usual, his tyre preservation skill proved to be key with him even leading the race at one point.
Oliver Bearman – 8
With Ocon up in fifth, Oliver Bearman bringing it home in eighth made it a great day for Haas.
Bearman took up a lot of the TV coverage with some impressive overtakes and he fought his way up the grid with excellent skill.
A great way to get your first points of the season.
Lance Stroll – 7.5
Given a tough task by lasting so long on his first set of tyres but Lance Stroll did well to keep them alive long enough.
A bit of fortune to end up in the points but a good drive nonetheless.
Carlos Sainz – 6.5
His first points for Williams but not the race he was hoping for.
Qualifying in 15th, it was always going to be tough to push up into the top 10 and Carlos Sainz did so only because three drivers ahead of him were disqualified.
Sainz has not quite found his feet at Williams just yet.
Isack Hadjar – 7
Like Tsunoda, Isack Hadjar was let down by the team’s strategy after they opted for the two-stop.
Ultimately his great quali performance was not rewarded with points.
Liam Lawson – 5.5
Two pit lane starts in as many races suggests how hard life at Red Bull has been for Liam Lawson so far.
Ultimately, the only drivers he overtook were the ones who made errors or were on the wrong strategy.
Jack Doohan – 5.5
A scrappy race from Jack Doohan in which he picked up a 10-second penalty for a lock-up that sent Tsunoda off the track.
He was also lucky to not be penalised for moving under braking when defending against Hadjar.
Gabriel Bortoleto – 5.5
Like his team-mate, an early incident ended any competitive hopes for the Brazilian with a spin sending him into the gravel and tumbling down the order.
Nico Hulkenberg – 5.5
A slip onto the gravel in lap one ended Nico Hulkenberg’s race pretty much as soon as it began so the rest of the time it was damage limitation for the German.
Yuki Tsunoda – 7
Another race where the good driving work of Yuki Tsunoda was undone by the poor strategy of the team.
They opted for a two-stop but went all in on the idea, rather than splitting strategies, and it cost them with both Tsunoda and Hadjar caught at the back of a pack that was showing no signs of slowing down.
Did not finish
Fernando Alonso – 5.5
Just a handful of laps before Fernando Alonso’s brake caught fire and he pitted to retire.
In quali, he could only manage 13th as Aston’s struggles continued.
Disqualified
Charles Leclerc – 7.5
A small mistake in the opening lap saw him lose a front wing end plate but the loss in performance, if there was any, did not seem to hamper Charles Leclerc too much.
After finally getting past Hamilton, Leclerc went to attack Russell but his tyres fell away, leaving him vulnerable to Verstappen towards the end of the race.
All of that was in vain though with Leclerc disqualified for his car being underweight.
More reaction from China
Why Max Verstappen cannot paper over Red Bull’s cracks forever
Is Liam Lawson facing replacement after just two races with Red Bull?
Lewis Hamilton – 5.5
It’s one thing to lose to your team-mate, it’s another thing to volunteer to move out of the way for that team-mate who also has damage.
While Leclerc at least found some speed, Lewis Hamilton struggled throughout the race which was in stark contrast to his sprint victory.
He highlighted the rear end as an issue as well as turning at low speeds but it is two out of two races now where he will have come away with disappointment.
Pierre Gasly – 6.5
Running in 11th and just out of the points in what was a good race until he, like Leclerc, was disqualified for being underweight.
Read next: Chinese Grand Prix conclusions: Lawson out of time? Verstappen’s exit clause, Hamilton DSQ