Motor racing-leader Norris chasing Formula One hat-trick at Chinese GP

McLaren’s Formula One leader Lando Norris can complete a hat-trick of wins for the first time in his career at the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend.

The 25-year-old Briton started the season in Australia with a confident win -- just as he ended 2024 in Abu Dhabi -- and now, at a track where he finished second last year, will try to make it three in a row.

“I’m confident that when we go to China... we can be very strong because we were strong there last year with not a very good car,” the title favourite said after last Sunday’s race in Melbourne sent him top of the standings for the first time.

Shanghai is the first sprint weekend of the season, with extra points on offer and less practice than usual on a track that has been freshly resurfaced since last year’s return post-COVID. Warm and sunny weather is expected.

Norris’s teammate Oscar Piastri, who spun off and finished ninth in his home race last Sunday after starting on the front row and challenging for the lead, has another good chance to rev up his season.

The 23-year-old also has a strong record in sprints.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won in China from pole last year, and also took the sprint. He finished second in Melbourne and cannot be counted out, having won 11 of 18 sprint races held to date.

“The tyre degradation particularly impacted us in Melbourne, but we came away with a lot of learnings and ways to improve,” said the Dutch driver.

“We don’t have a huge amount of time to turn everything around, especially with just one practice session, but the team are working hard to improve.

“I have always enjoyed racing in Shanghai; there are lots of opportunities for overtaking here and the circuit has a unique layout, so we will see what the weekend brings.”

New teammate Liam Lawson will be keen to get back after a tough start since moving up from Racing Bulls. The Kiwi has not raced before in China and he and the other five rookies will have their work cut out with so little practice time.

Ferrari, last year’s championship runners-up, were licking their wounds after Melbourne but seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton has a record six wins in Shanghai.

Reuters