For the primary time in his Components 1 profession, McLaren driver Lando Norris enters a race weekend because the championship chief.

Coming off an excellent victory within the season-opening race in Melbourne, Norris solidified himself as a championship contender in 2025, and McLaren because the staff to beat within the early phases of this season. 

The weekend may have been so a lot better for McLaren, who’re defending constructors’ champions, however Australian Oscar Piastri spun late in his residence grand prix whereas operating second.

This weekend can also be the primary time for the reason that Monaco Grand Prix 2022 that Max Verstappen has not entered the weekend because the drivers’ championship chief. 

Regardless of the thrill surrounding Norris, the 25-year-old British driver was fast to dampen any speak of the championships after simply one in all 24 grands prix this season.

“I am not fascinated by it. I do not actually care about it. It should not change something I do. It should not change what the staff does,” he mentioned throughout Thursday’s drivers’ press convention in China.

“I had one good weekend — folks must settle down a bit bit. I am targeted on making an attempt to do the identical right here.

“I most likely will not even take into consideration the championship till at the least midway by means of the 12 months.”

This weekend’s Chinese language Grand Prix would be the first with a dash race this season. 

Six weekends this season will function a dash race, together with the Miami, Belgium, United States (Austin), Sau Paulo, and Qatar grand prix weekends. 

This weekend, drivers may have only one free observe session earlier than dash qualifying and the dash race are accomplished. In Melbourne, drivers and groups had three one-hour observe periods to organize the automobiles for the grand prix.

Following a four-year absence because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Max Verstappen gained final 12 months’s Chinese language Grand Prix. 

It was the primary time the Dutchman gained on the Shanghai circuit and the third for Pink Bull (Sebastian Vettel 2009, Daniel Ricciardo 2018).

Lewis Hamilton has been the grasp of the Shanghai Worldwide Circuit, which hosted its first F1 grand prix in 2004.

Hamilton gained the race six occasions. Fernando Alonso is the one different energetic driver who has gained the Chinese language Grand Prix, claiming wins in 2005 and 2013.

McLaren has not stood on the highest step in Shanghai since Hamilton triumphed in 2011.