2018 China GP – Race

Sunday 15 April 2018

1) Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull
2) Valtteri Bottas Mercedes +8.894
3) Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari +9.637
4) Lewis Hamilton Mercedes +16.985
5) Max Verstappen Red Bull +20.436
6) Nico Hulkenberg Renault +21.052
7) Fernando Alonso McLaren +30.639
8) Sebastian Vettel Ferrari +35.286
9) Carlos Sainz Renault +35.763
10) Kevin Magnussen Haas +39.594
11) Esteban Ocon Force India + 44.050
12) Sergio Perez Force India + 44.725
13) Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren + 49.373
14) Lance Stroll Williams + 55.490
15) Sergey Sirotkin Williams + 58.241
16) Marcus Ericsson Sauber + 62.604
17) Romain Grosjean Haas + 65.296
18) Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso + 66.330
19) Charles Leclerc Sauber +82.575
20) Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso Retired

Sebastian Vettel had looked all set to complete a third successive Grand Prix victory, all until the pit-stops and the duelling Toro Rosso drivers of Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley ultimately brought out the safety car.

Having previously lost the lead of the race to the Mercedes of Valterri Bottas, who completed the undercut, the pair’s lead was lost when the safety car was deployed.

This safety car enabled the Red Bull Racing duo of Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo to pit for fresher tyres without losing track position,

With a race victory in sight for Verstappen, the young Dutchman chased down Vettel but ended up colliding with the four-time world champion. The result was the German slipping down the pecking order and Verstappen being handed a 10-second time penalty.