Verstappen in China: The World Cup champion is struggling with unexpected problems!

Verstappen in China: The World Cup champion is struggling with unexpected problems!

Amid the thrill of the Formula 1 season, world champion Max Verstappen is struggling. In the only free practice session before the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, the 27-year-old Dutchman only finished in 16th place. The fast Lando Norris from McLaren, on the other hand, set the best time of the day with a time of 1:31.504 and distanced Verstappen by a whopping 1.780 seconds. Norris, who won the Australian Grand Prix a week ago, sees himself leading the drivers' championship this sprint weekend, while Verstappen, who aborted his fastest lap at the end, is feeling a lot of pressure to defend his title, reports krone.at.

Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari and Oscar Piastri in the second McLaren were also among the best, with Leclerc taking second place, just half a second behind Norris, and Piastri third. The freshly paved track posed challenges for some drivers, including blistering on the left front tire due to the high temperatures and fast right-hand bends. In addition to the top drivers, Nico Hülkenberg also stood out, taking sixth place for Kick Sauber, while Lewis Hamilton and George Russell took fourth and fifth place formula1.com.

The upcoming duel

The sprint race on Saturday will be crucial for the championship standings, where Norris will defend his seven-point lead over Verstappen. The main race on Sunday promises a lot of excitement as Verstappen was victorious in this race last year. Teams now have the opportunity to rethink their strategies and prepare for the challenges ahead, while mechanics work feverishly on the cars to create the optimal conditions for the drivers.