• Login
  • Register
Speedcafe.com
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODCASTS
  • PHOTOS
  • CALENDAR
  • RESULTS & STANDINGS
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
  • Supercars
  • F1
  • NASCAR
  • INDYCAR
  • SRO GT
  • KARTING
  • RALLY
  • BIKES
  • WIN A TRIP TO THE INDY 500
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • PODCASTS
  • PHOTOS
  • CALENDAR
  • RESULTS & STANDINGS
  • SHOP
No Result
View All Result
  • Feed
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Photos
  • Podcasts
  • Shop
Speedcafe.com
  • Supercars
  • F1
  • NASCAR
  • IndyCar
  • SRO GT
  • Karting
  • Rally
  • Bikes
  • WIN A TRIP TO THE INDY 500
Home F1
McLaren again looks the car to beat at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. Image: XPB Images.

Norris delivers McLaren hammer blow in Chinese GP practice

McLaren again looks the car to beat at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix after Lando Norris topped free practice.

Mat Coch by Mat Coch
21 March 2025
Featured Videos

McLaren again looks the car to beat at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. Image: XPB Images.

McLaren again looks the car to beat at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. Image: XPB Images.

Norris was a commanding 0.454s faster than his nearest rival, Charles Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri was third best.

Barring a mistake at the final corner on his best lap, Piastri would have been within touching distance of his team-mate at the top of the timesheets.

Jack Doohan triggered a red flag when his Alpine struck dramas to end the hour slowest but without a soft tyre run.

Liam Lawson did get a performance run in the final stages, though could do no better than 18th.

The Shanghai circuit had been resurfaced from last year, a fact that was well-received by drivers.

The opening session also marked the first time teams had been on track following a technical directive being issued since the Australian Grand Prix last weekend.

None of the top four teams were impacted, though Alpine and Haas both had to make changes.

At Red Bull, Max Verstappen and Lawson initially ran different front wing specs, as they’d done in Australia a week ago.

Lawson’s start was steady, as it had been in Albert Park, with his fastest a second away from Verstappen and 1.9s away from the best after half an hour.

That time belonged to George Russell at 1:32.377s, though could easily have been Norris.

The McLaren driver was on a better lap, several tenths faster than his Mercedes rival, but dived into the pits to mask his outright pace.

Bu the McLaren was a handful, Norris had a snap of oversteer at Turn 1, while Piastri reported high-speed instability.

Leclerc also had a moment at Turn 1, spinning the Ferrari in the transition to Turn 2 – as the long right-hander tightens and begins to drop downhill.

For much of the session, Leclerc was second fastest, the Ferrari driver three-tenths away from Russell on a 1:32.701s.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, Doohan rolled to a halt with a power steering issue.

He parked the Alpine between Turns 10 and 11 and climbed out to draw the red flag.

The car lost power as he rounded Turn 9, but he did well to hold onto the ailing Alpine and bring it to a safe halt.

Eight minutes remained when the track went green again, the field pouring out on soft compound tyres – Russell’s earlier effort had been set on the medium rubber.

That saw Ferrari rise to the top of the timesheets, Leclerc initially little more than half a tenth clear of Norris with Hamilton also within a tenth in third.

Russell didn’t improve on his lap while Piastri lost time in the middle sector to end up only fifth.

A second effort saw him rise up the timesheets, though a wobble at the final corner cost him time and left him only third.

Lawson did improve, rising to 16th and 1.559s away from Leclerc before aborting a second lap.

Only Doohan missed out on a soft tyre run as he tumbled down the order.

There was clearly more to come from McLaren, with Norris dropping three-tenths in the first sector and more time again in the middle third over his rivals.

Verstappen’s pace was also hidden, too, as he aborted his best lap while Lawson ended proceedings a lowly 18th.

Pos Num Driver Team Laps Diff Best
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren – Mercedes 22 1:31.504s
2 16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 20 0.454s 1:31.958s
3 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren – Mercedes 23 0.649s 1:32.153s
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 21 0.691s 1:32.195s
5 63 George Russell Mercedes 25 0.873s 1:32.377s
6 27 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber – Ferrari 20 1.003s 1:32.507s
7 23 Alex Albon Williams  – Mercedes 23 1.183s 1:32.687s
8 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin – Mercedes 22 1.262s 1:32.766s
9 12 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 26 1.370s 1:32.874s
10 22 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls – Honda 22 1.430s 1:32.934s
11 87 Oliver Bearman Haas – Ferrari 22 1.463s 1:32.967s
12 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin – Mercedes 19 1.480s 1:32.984s
13 31 Esteban Ocon Haas – Ferrari 22 1.552s 1:33.056s
14 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine – Renault 22 1.619s 1:33.123s
15 55 Carlos Sainz Williams  – Mercedes 25 1.641s 1:33.145s
16 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull – Honda 23 1.780s 1:33.284s
17 6 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls – Honda 22 1.881s 1:33.385s
18 30 Liam Lawson Red Bull – Honda 22 2.127s 1:33.631s
19 5 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber – Ferrari 23 2.318s 1:33.822s
20 7 Jack Doohan Alpine – Renault 17 2.419s 1:33.923s
Tags: chinese gplando norrismclaren

Latest from Torquecafe

Here comes Ram’s Hurricane

21 March 2025

Porsche new Macan proves the hater wrong

21 March 2025

Latest Podcasts

PODCAST: Ford’s Dark Horse play + New Supercars dyno explained

21 March 2025

PODCAST: Australian GP review, Supercars racing rules & screenshot drama

18 March 2025

Related Articles

Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Chinese GP from Shanghai International Circuit. Image: XPB Images.

Chinese GP: Free Practice 1 Results

F1
3 hours ago
F1
0 COMMENTS

Live Updates: Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix

Live Updates
4 hours ago
Live Updates
0 COMMENTS

Platinum Partners

Truck Assist R & J Batteries Pirtek Mobil Super Supercheap Auto Michelin Meguiars coates XPEL FORD ACDelco parcelprotect become a partner

Official Partners

AASA PPQ Authentic Collectables bathurst sportsnetholidays

Latest News

Scott Pedder in his Skoda Fabia R5.

ARC partners up with Speedcafe for 2025

Rally
21 March 2025
Rally
0 COMMENTS
McLaren again looks the car to beat at this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix. Image: XPB Images.

Norris delivers McLaren hammer blow in Chinese GP practice

F1
21 March 2025
F1
0 COMMENTS
Italian 20-year-old Moritz Ebner will lead EKS' AKC charge in Melbourne

Italian to lead space-inspired kart brand’s AKC charge

Karting
21 March 2025
Karting
0 COMMENTS
Full results from Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Chinese GP from Shanghai International Circuit. Image: XPB Images.

Chinese GP: Free Practice 1 Results

F1
21 March 2025
F1
0 COMMENTS

Live Updates: Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix

Live Updates
21 March 2025
Live Updates
0 COMMENTS
Load More

Your Daily Racing Fix

Try our daily email, The best way to get your news first, fast and free!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Speedcafe.com has been established to provide a daily motorsport news service to the industry and fans in Australia and internationally.
Follow Us

Categories

SUPERCARS

F1

NASCAR

INDYCAR

GT

MOTOGP

PHOTOS

TV

PODS

Platinum Partners

TRUCK ASSIST
R&J BATTERIES
PIRTEK
MOBIL1
SUPERCHEAP AUTO

PARCEL PROTECT

MICHELIN
MEGUIARS

COATES
FORD

XPEL

ACDELCO

Newsletter

Subscribe to our daily newsletter, the best way to get your news first, fast and free!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Copyright © 2024 Speedcafe.com. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Our Team    /  Advertise with us  /  Privacy Policy

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • SHOP
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Copyright © 2023 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

OR

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Calendar
  • Results
  • Event guides
  • Podcasts
  • SHOP
  • Photos
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Copyright © 2023 Speedcafe.com This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. The Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.