Shanghai Grand Prix: Drama, Disqualifications & Looking Ahead to Suzuka

Shanghai Grand Prix: Drama, Disqualifications & Looking Ahead to Suzuka

After the Shanghai Grand Prix controversy—with so many stories, incidents, and twists—it was difficult to report on everything.

Oscar Piastri drove an outstanding race to win the Chinese Grand Prix, with an impressive second-place finish for Lando Norris, leaving Zak Brown happier than ever with the McLaren F1 team. Wow—what a race! It was an excellent event in Shanghai.

However, the weekend was marred by controversy, especially with the disqualification of both Ferraris. As mentioned in a previous blog, Charles Leclerc being 1 kg underweight is a textbook disqualification. The Lewis Hamilton disqualification was more challenging, considering the margin was just half a millimetre, but as tricky as it is, you have to take it on the chin. The only silver lining from the FIA’s decisions is their vow to crack down on anyone stretching, bending, or breaking the rules. Let’s hope they stay consistent and fair for the remaining 22 races. Ferrari, desperate for redemption after last weekend’s disqualifications, has a car capable of podiums—and even wins. Now is their time to bounce back and show the fans they mean business.

Ferrari has much to prove as we head to the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka. 

Pierre Gasly was also unfortunate to be disqualified. But again, if the FIA is going to apply the rules universally, we have to accept that this is the new standard—and it’s time for everyone to understand that.

After Red Bull's race pace last season, the FIA was criticised for being too slow to regulate those types of rear-end aerodynamic changes. This year, though, the FIA has started strong, with these three disqualifications, they are showing they mean business.

Pierre Gasly will be desperate to score some points.

Suzuka is one of the crown jewels of the F1® calendar. The wheel-to-wheel racing is always incredible, the weather is unpredictable, and the track is pure, old-school magic. Suzuka always delivers overtakes, undercuts, and edge-of-your-seat action for the fans.

The Suzuka Circuit has the same fear factor as Silverstone and COTA in Austin—tracks where overtaking is constant and race outcomes are never certain.

Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen will aim for their first win of the season at a circuit they’ve traditionally thrived at, and again, Liam Lawson, in what is effectively a top-three car, has a lot to prove and the chance to score big.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli are definitely ones to watch at Mercedes. Russell continues quietly snatching points and is looking more and more like the team’s number one driver. Toto Wolff will be pushing the team hard, chasing podiums, maximum points, and race wins, while the Mercedes F1® team must be pretty happy with how Kimi has performed in his first races.

Suzuka is the kind of track where any of the four teams could take victory. With the top ten cars so closely matched, it's getting harder and harder to predict who’ll make it into the top five—or even the top ten.

The Japanese Grand Prix is a fan favourite for a reason. It’s a motorsport spectacle like no other, offering thrilling racing, unpredictable results, and an atmosphere unmatched anywhere else.

With just three days to go until the cars hit the track for practice, it already feels like there are scores to be settled. Ferrari’s out for redemption. Lawson’s out to prove the world wrong. Aston Martin, under Adrian Newey, is starting to look like a serious points threat. Carlos Sainz needs to find his rhythm in the Williams. And Gasly will be eager to recover some much-needed points.

Bring on Suzuka.