Lando Norris beaten as FIA disqualify three drivers at Chinese Grand Prix…Read more

Piastri Dominates in China as FIA Disqualifies Three Drivers

Oscar Piastri delivered an outstanding performance at the Chinese Grand Prix, claiming victory in dominant fashion from pole position at the Shanghai International Circuit. However, post-race drama overshadowed his triumph as the FIA disqualified three drivers, significantly altering the final standings.

Lando Norris had spent much of the race comfortably fending off George Russell, with the Mercedes driver holding a steady third place ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. Leclerc, who had suffered front wing damage at the first corner, was unable to challenge further, while Hamilton also maintained pace just behind.

As the race neared its conclusion, Norris encountered brake pedal issues, causing him to lose significant time—dropping nearly four to five seconds per lap. Despite this, he managed to keep Russell at bay, though it was a tense finish as the Mercedes driver applied pressure in the closing laps.

The early stages of the race saw both Hamilton and Leclerc make strong starts, overtaking Max Verstappen into the first corner. They initially seemed to have the Red Bull driver under control. However, Hamilton opted for an alternative two-stop strategy, banking on higher tyre degradation among the one-stoppers. Unfortunately for him, this plan did not pay off, as the anticipated tyre wear failed to materialize, preventing him from gaining an advantage.

Elsewhere on the grid, Jack Doohan endured another challenging day. While his pace was not entirely uncompetitive, he received his second penalty of the weekend following an incident involving Isack Hadjar. The penalty saw him drop further down the order, adding to speculation over his future in the team. Calls for his replacement by Gabriel Bortoleto have been growing, and his latest setback did little to silence those doubts.

Doohan’s penalty also had another consequence—it allowed Liam Lawson to be classified ahead of him, further complicating the Australian’s weekend.

While Piastri celebrated his dominant win, the disqualifications added an extra layer of controversy, shaking up the final results and intensifying discussions surrounding FIA’s regulatory decisions.