Which Formula 1 driver made the most of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend?
It’s time to give your verdict on which driver did the best with the equipment at their disposal over the last three days.
Review how each driver got on below and vote for who impressed you the most at Shanghai International Circuit.
Driver performance summary
| Driver | Q stage | Q pos. | Q gap to team mate | SR grid pos. | SR pos. | GP grid pos. | GP pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lando Norris | Q3 | 3 | +0.152s | 6 | 8 | 3 | 2 |
| Oscar Piastri | Q3 | 1 | -0.152s | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Charles Leclerc | Q3 | 6 | +0.094s | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Lewis Hamilton | Q3 | 5 | -0.094s | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Max Verstappen | Q3 | 4 | -0.750s | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Liam Lawson | Q1 | 20 | +0.750s | 19 | 14 | 20 | 15 |
| Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Q3 | 8 | +0.380s | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
| George Russell | Q3 | 2 | -0.380s | 5 | 4 | 2 | 3 |
| Lance Stroll | Q2 | 14 | +0.085s | 10 | 9 | 14 | 12 |
| Fernando Alonso | Q2 | 13 | -0.085s | 11 | 10 | 13 | 20 |
| Jack Doohan | Q1 | 18 | +0.100s | 16 | 20 | 18 | 16 |
| Pierre Gasly | Q1 | 16 | -0.100s | 17 | 12 | 16 | 11 |
| Esteban Ocon | Q2 | 11 | -0.142s | 18 | 16 | 11 | 7 |
| Oliver Bearman | Q1 | 17 | +0.142s | 12 | 15 | 17 | 10 |
| Isack Hadjar | Q3 | 7 | -0.559s | 15 | 13 | 7 | 14 |
| Yuki Tsunoda | Q3 | 9 | +0.559s | 8 | 6 | 9 | 19 |
| Alexander Albon | Q3 | 10 | -0.245s | 9 | 11 | 10 | 9 |
| Carlos Sainz Jnr | Q2 | 15 | +0.245s | 13 | 17 | 15 | 13 |
| Nico Hulkenberg | Q2 | 12 | -0.220s | 20 | 19 | 12 | 18 |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Q1 | 19 | +0.220s | 14 | 18 | 19 | 17 |
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Vote for your driver of the weekend
Which driver do you think did the best job throughout the race weekend?
Who got the most out of their car in qualifying and the race? Who put their team mate in the shade?
Cast your vote below and explain why you chose the driver you picked in the comments.
Who was the best driver of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix weekend?
- No opinion (0%)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (0%)
- Nico Hulkenberg (0%)
- Carlos Sainz Jnr (0%)
- Alexander Albon (2%)
- Yuki Tsunoda (0%)
- Isack Hadjar (2%)
- Oliver Bearman (9%)
- Esteban Ocon (7%)
- Pierre Gasly (0%)
- Jack Doohan (1%)
- Fernando Alonso (0%)
- Lance Stroll (0%)
- George Russell (10%)
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (1%)
- Liam Lawson (0%)
- Max Verstappen (12%)
- Lewis Hamilton (4%)
- Charles Leclerc (3%)
- Oscar Piastri (48%)
- Lando Norris (1%)
Total Voters: 106
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When this poll is closed the result will be displayed instead of the voting form.
2025 Chinese Grand Prix
- Red Bull reassure Verstappen over ‘when we’ll have a winning car again’ in meeting
- Mercedes explain impact of Antonelli’s floor damage on his Chinese GP performance
- “I gave a lot of lap time away in that first stint”: Verstappen’s full Chinese GP radio
- Stats: Chinese Grand Prix saw most disqualifications in an F1 race for 21 years
- Even the best driver on the grid needs a team mate to push them – Norris
Debates and polls
- Vote for your 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix Driver of the Weekend
- Lawson out, Tsunoda in: Have Red Bull made the right change – at the right time?
- Rate the race: 2025 Chinese Grand Prix
- Rate the Race: 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race
- Will F1 justify the ‘closest fight ever’ hype? 20 questions on the 2025 season
Nikos (@exeviolthor)
23rd March 2025, 9:01
It has to be Piastri.
Armchair Expert (@armchairexpert)
23rd March 2025, 9:07
There can be only one – Max. Qualifying 2nd and 4th, finishing 3rd and 4th in what is at best 4th fastest car (so 7th place and down) is simply stunning achievement.
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
24th March 2025, 10:54
I keep thinking Max then Piastri then Max then Piastri. Its ridiculous how good Max is but Piastri won from a very strong team mate after a disastrous first GP. His calm probably edges Max’s brilliance. Probably
Jere (@jerejj)
23rd March 2025, 9:12
DOTW: PIA, DOTD: OCO
Simon
23rd March 2025, 16:41
Driver. Singular…
For clarity:
singular
/ˈsɪŋɡjʊlə/
adjective
(of a word or form) denoting or referring to just one person or thing
MarcusAurelius (@marcusaurelius)
23rd March 2025, 9:21
Ollie! Made the alternative strategy work. Oscar only had to cruise…
Ronald (@mosquito)
23rd March 2025, 9:22
Hoe can it be anyone else than Piastri?
Armchair Expert (@armchairexpert)
23rd March 2025, 10:07
Because winning in a dominant car, when your team mate finishes second isn’t impressive? Contrary to Max, who finished 4th in 4th quickest car, while his team mate finished 15th, 65 seconds behind?
Pironi the Provocateur (@pironitheprovocateur)
23rd March 2025, 9:46
Russel, since he, in my opinion, got the most out of the car. Piastri close 2nd.
elchinero (@elchinero)
23rd March 2025, 17:18
Lewis beat the Red Bull …
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
23rd March 2025, 9:49
Gone for Bearman though (strangely) I am thinking that Lance deservers a mention as well.
I have never understood why people just automatically vote for the winner in these poles.
Oscar did a fantastic job all weekend and deserves praise, but, he is an experienced driver in the top car on the grid.
Hardworking rookies get more respect from me than any of the guys in the comfy seats.
juan fanger (@juan-fanger)
23rd March 2025, 10:44
Antonelli, obviously.
How could we possibly disagree with F1’s Official Driver Of The Day survey?
S Arkazam
23rd March 2025, 10:59
I guess all Raikkonen fans voting for him ;)
Tony Mansell (@tonymansell)
24th March 2025, 10:55
tbh Raikkonen fans are still trying to find the radio button that says Raikkonen
Roth Man (@rdotquestionmark)
23rd March 2025, 11:59
Personally I think Max extracted something out of that Red Bull all weekend that shouldn’t have been possible.
David BR (@david-br)
23rd March 2025, 13:37
How could we possibly know when Liam ‘It’s My Time Now’ Lawson in the other car?
BasCB (@bascb)
23rd March 2025, 13:14
Max certainly did achieve more than the car deserved, both HAAS drivers, Stroll as well as Antonella did a really Solid job. Russel probably going about the maximum out of the weekend there was in it, but he did lose a spot to Norris in the race.
I gave it to Piastri due to achieving in both races and nailing the pole lap .
Doggy
23rd March 2025, 13:42
I could have not written this assessment in a better manner.
So copy/paste what BasCB said.
RH
23rd March 2025, 13:24
Overall of the top drivers only Max got more than what he should have. So for me it’d be him.
Piastri was good but his car was too quick and he didn’t manage to win the sprint with his car.
I guess I am just too used to VER winning everything, so I’ll judge people relative to the gold standard.
VER – DOTW, PIA – DOTD maybe.
David BR (@david-br)
23rd March 2025, 13:33
I voted Hadjar because he was probably the driver to most boost his stock (it’s relative). Piastri is the more obvious and equally correct answer and probably the more significant in terms of the season. The Papaya Power Needle, presuming such a fruity thing exists, has now edged slightly to his side.
David (@nvherman)
23rd March 2025, 14:33
Much though I’m a McLaren fan, I feel that Verstappen got the most amount of his car compared with what that car has to give this weekend.
Can’t vote for either Ferrari driver given that they both have been disqualified today.
Doggy
23rd March 2025, 14:50
Not sure who the driver of the week is. But certainly this is the quote of the season:
“…feeling good in life is what matter the most…” MV
MXMXD (@mxmxd)
23rd March 2025, 15:16
Bearman ahead of Ocon involves giving A LOT of weight to the Sprint Race…
hje
23rd March 2025, 22:45
Bearman killed his Medium tyres in both sprint, and main race. With one more lap, Ocon would’ve passed him in the sprint – despite Ocon screwing sprint qualis on his own.
Bearman got his race qualis screwed by poor timing and traffic, later helped with great Hard tyres stint – but once again, he couldn’t deliver on Medium tyres, as his pace dropped significantly at the end of the race.
Leo B
23rd March 2025, 15:34
Speaking impartially, I would say Piastri.
Max’s move on Lec shows he would have licked most champs from the past.