2018 Chinese Grand Prix

Hopes high for the Haas F1 Team….

The Haas boys Grosjean and Magnussen qualified in positions 10th and 11th respectively for the Chinese Grand Prix. By the end of the first lap they each moved up one place to 9th and 10th after Sergio Perez in his Force India lost 6 positions on his first lap and dropped from 8th to 14th.

It was lap 6 that the Haas Team orders came into play and Grosjean let his teammate pass. Grosjean was not happy. But 10 lap later Grosjean would pit, as he was on a 3 pit strategy while Magnussen was on a 2 stop strategy.. Throughout the race Kevin Magnussen managed to hold just within the top 10, as high as 8 throughout the middle of the race.

Magnussen would hold onto a single point in the 10th position, while Grosjean ended the race in 17th.

But perhaps the most spectatular aspet of thee race came in lap 31 when the two Toro Rosso cars hit each other and caused a safety car. Kevin Magnussen was able to sneak in and pit under yellow. This would save his points position. But more importatly to the race, both Red Bulls pitted in a stacked way, one right after the other. Verstappen’s Red Bull was in P4, and Riccardo P6 in his. Between them was the Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen. ionen

Raikkonen was the first to fall and the Red Bulls were up to P4 and 5 respectively. One lap later on lap 39 Verstappen tried to pass the P3 car of Lewis Hamilton. But the pass was an ill attempt at a narrow gap which Lewis quickly closed. As a result Ricciardo was able to pass hiss teammate and begin chasing down Hamilton in his Mercedes. And by lap 40 Ricciardo was past the Silver Arrow. By lap 42 it was Max Verstappen to make it a one two punch for Red Bull on the four time Champion of Mercedes. And by the end of the 42 lap Daniel Ricciardo picked off the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel.

It was lap 43 when Verstappen tried to pass the Ferrari of Vettel, they touched and both cars spun. Vettel’s run was over and Vettel would restart in 7th.

But it was lap 44 when Daniel Ricciardo passed Valtteri Bottas and took the race lead.

The decision of Red Bull to pit both cars on lap 33 was the winning move of the day. The Red Bulls were able to take full advantage of the new tires and dominate the competition. Verstappen was able to finally pass Hamilton on lap 48, to finish 4th.

1st, Ricciardo – Red Bull
2nd, Bottas – Mercedes
3rd, Raikkonen – Ferrari

Shoeys for everyone!!!

Next… Azerbaijan!