The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix delivered drama, milestones, and surprise stats — here’s your ultimate post-race breakdown of what mattered most.
McLaren dominates in China with a historic 1-2, as Piastri stuns in qualifying and Norris tightens his grip on the championship.
After every Grand Prix, it’s time to highlight the standout stats, record-breaking moments, and notable streaks that either continue or ended dramatically over the weekend.
Qualifying Highlights
- Oscar Piastri’s Milestone:
Piastri became the 107th driver in Formula 1 history to secure a pole position – having previously achieved poles only in sprint qualifying. Notably, the 106th pole was claimed by George Russell in Hungary back in 2022. Moreover, Piastri is the first Australian to lead a Grand Prix since Daniel Ricciardo did so in Mexico in 2018. - Nail-Biting Margins:
The gap between the first and second place in Q3 was razor-thin—just 84 thousandths of a second in Australia and 82 in China. - Team Performances Differ:
In China, McLaren and Mercedes dominated the front row during the main Grand Prix qualifying, while Ferrari and Red Bull led in the Sprint. It’s clear that performances can vary significantly between sessions. - Other Noteworthy Performances:
- Lando Norris qualified third, marking the first time in nine Grands Prix that he has been outpaced by his teammate in qualifying.
- Isack Hadjar shone as the best rookie, finishing an impressive seventh—the best result for Racing Bulls in Shanghai in 12 years.
- Yuki Tsunoda reached Q3 for the second time this season, lining up ninth on the grid.
- Nico Hülkenberg, finishing twelfth, achieved the best start of a Kick Sauber driver this season, outqualifying teammate Gabriel Bortoleto for the first time.
- Carlos Sainz ended up fifteenth—the worst qualifying start for him in Shanghai over his seven appearances.
- Both Alpine teams were eliminated in Q1, whether it was in Sprint or traditional qualifying.
- Liam Lawson finished dead last in both the Sprint and classic sessions, placing 20th each time.
Race Day Recap
- McLaren’s Historic Double:
McLaren celebrated its 50th double victory in Grand Prix history—the first of which dates back to Denny Hulme’s win over Bruce McLaren in Canada in 1968. The British team has now recorded three consecutive wins (including last year’s Abu Dhabi win) for the first time since the Hungary-Belgium-Italy streak in 2012. - Oscar Piastri’s Triumph:
Piastri secured his third career win, extending his record by scoring points for the 28th consecutive Grand Prix—a streak that stands unmatched on the grid. - Lando Norris in the Spotlight:
Norris finished second in Shanghai for the second year running. This result sees him leading the drivers’ championship by eight points ahead of Max Verstappen. - McLaren’s Team Record:
For McLaren, this race marked their 191st victory, which is their third consecutive win, the fourth at this particular event, and their first win in 14 years—dating back to Lewis Hamilton’s triumph in 2011. - Mercedes’ Milestone and More:
For the second consecutive race this season, George Russell finished third, giving Mercedes their 300th podium (comprising 129 wins, 98 second places, and 73 third places). In the all-time rankings, Ferrari leads with 829 podiums, followed by McLaren with 527 and Williams with 313. Notably, this was the first time since the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix in 2022 that Russell managed two consecutive podiums.
Piastri Shines as McLaren Hits 50 Double Victories
Other Race Highlights:
- Esteban Ocon finished fifth, recording Haas’s best Shanghai result since joining F1—a remarkable turnaround considering he was the slowest driver during the season’s opening weekend.
- Kimi Antonelli continued his impressive form by finishing sixth, maintaining a streak of top-six finishes in his first two races.
- Alex Albon led the race on his birthday, becoming the ninth driver in F1 history to do so, and he already scored more points than he did for the entire previous season.
- Williams made history by leading a lap—a feat they hadn’t achieved in nearly a decade, with the last occurrence seen during Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas’s efforts at Silverstone in 2015.
- Oliver Bearman earned his first F1 points by finishing eighth, helping Haas score from both cars just a week after his last-place finish in Australia.
Unique Moments:
For only the second time in history, two drivers under the age of 20 scored points in the same Grand Prix—a feat previously witnessed only once at Monza in 2017, when Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll shared the spotlight.
Additional Observations:
- Fernando Alonso remains the only driver who hasn’t seen a checkered flag this season.
- Alpine F1 is now the only team yet to score points.
- In a historic first for the World Championship, Ferrari saw both of its cars disqualified in a single Grand Prix—a first since the team joined the sport in 1950.
- With his disqualification, Hamilton also lost the fastest lap he had set—a time of 1:35.069, just 0.385 seconds ahead of Norris. This fastest lap marked Hamilton’s record-setting 16th consecutive season achieving the fastest lap, surpassing the joint record he once held with Michael Schumacher (15). He’ll have to try again in at least one of the remaining 22 races.
F1 2025: China Delivers Records
This race weekend delivered a host of memorable moments and record-breaking achievements, reaffirming that every Grand Prix continues to push the limits in Formula 1.
| Record / Stat | Driver/Team Involved | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| McLaren’s 50th 1-2 finish | McLaren | First double win since 2012 |
| Piastri becomes 107th F1 pole-sitter | Oscar Piastri | Previously only had Sprint poles |
| First Aussie pole since Ricciardo (2018) | Oscar Piastri | Last by Ricciardo at Mexico 2018 |
| 28 consecutive points finishes | Oscar Piastri | Longest active streak on the grid |
| Norris leads Drivers’ Championship | Lando Norris | 8-point lead over Verstappen |
| Mercedes’ 300th podium | George Russell / Mercedes | 129 wins, 98 P2s, 73 P3s |
| Haas’ best result in Shanghai | Esteban Ocon / Haas | Finished 5th after slowest start to season |
| Albon leads race on birthday | Alex Albon | 9th driver in F1 history to do so |
| Williams leads a lap for first time since 2015 | Williams | Last occurred at Silverstone 2015 |
| Bearman scores first F1 points | Oliver Bearman | Finished 8th in Shanghai |
| Two U20 drivers score points (rare event) | Bearman & Antonelli | Only happened once before (Monza 2017) |
| Ferrari disqualified both cars | Ferrari | First time in F1 history |
| Hamilton loses fastest lap due to disqualification | Lewis Hamilton | Time was 1:35.069, later annulled |
| 16th season with fastest lap (F1 record) | Lewis Hamilton | Breaks tie with Schumacher (15 seasons) |
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F1 2025: Chinese GP in Numbers – Records & Surprises
F1 2025: Chinese GP in Numbers – Records & Surprises
