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Lando Norris reflected on a dramatic Chinese Grand Prix where he secured a second-place finish despite encountering significant brake difficulties. Remarkably, this performance keeps him at the forefront of the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, maintaining a narrow lead over his competitors.
In Shanghai, his teammate Oscar Piastri emerged victorious, yet Norris faced an uphill battle managing the deteriorating condition of his brakes as the race progressed. He successfully defended his position against George Russell, having overtaken the Mercedes driver twice during the race.
Following his win in Australia and a point earned in the sprint race prior to the main event in China, Norris now stands at 44 points. He is leading Max Verstappen by a margin of eight points in the championship standings.
During the latter stages of the race, Norris learned of the brake issues from his team. They had been aware of the problem before he was informed over the radio with just seven laps remaining. Race engineer Will Joseph reassured him, stating, “I would rather finish second than not at all, no hard braking,” and later expressed concern that the situation had turned “critical” just before the final lap.
In a tense conclusion, Russell closed within three seconds of Norris on the last lap, but Norris managed to hold on, marking the occasion as McLaren’s 50th one-two finish in Formula 1 history. He candidly acknowledged to Sky Sports F1, “He would have got me next lap, yeah.”
“I was fortunate to finish the race today, which isn’t something you want to be saying,” Norris remarked. “Brakes are crucial; they can save you, even save your life. The last few laps were quite sketchy as my brakes were becoming increasingly worse.” He suspected that the team had been aware of the problem earlier than they communicated, likely to keep him focused and calm during the race.
Despite the technical challenges, Norris emphasized his satisfaction with achieving a one-two finish alongside Piastri. “It’s what we aimed for coming into the weekend, so it’s a big morale boost for the team,” he said.
While acknowledging mistakes made in sprint qualifying and the previous race, Norris was pleased with his race performance in Shanghai. He initially moved ahead of Russell into second at the first corner and then had to reclaim the position after a strategic pit stop advantage for Russell.
When asked if he could have contested Piastri for the win without his brake issues, Norris acknowledged, “It doesn’t really matter, does it? I would have loved to challenge Oscar today, but he drove exceptionally well.” He recognized Piastri’s capabilities, highlighting that while he felt he had good pace, the conditions had presented challenges.
With both McLaren drivers achieving their first Grand Prix victories of the 2025 season, Norris looked ahead positively to the upcoming race in Japan. “It’s going to be exciting for all of us,” he stated. After experiencing a difficult weekend leading up to the race, he observed improvements in car balance that boosted his confidence dramatically from the previous days.
“Finding a car that suits you can make such a difference,” he noted. “Today felt much better, and I had the best pace on the track.” Adapting to a new driving dynamic this weekend offered valuable lessons for Norris as he prepares for the next races, indicating that while he has extensive experience with McLaren, every race weekend can present fresh challenges.
Photos from Chinese GP – Race
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