03/12/26 07:15:00
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03/12 19:10 CDT Mercedes aims to dominate again in China as F1's new era is yet
to win over some drivers
Mercedes aims to dominate again in China as F1's new era is yet to win over
some drivers
By JAMES ELLINGWORTH
AP Sports Writer
Formula 1 heads to China celebrating vast numbers of overtakes, even as drivers
debate how meaningful they are.
Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix and the first sprint race of the season
Saturday, Max Verstappen said it's "a jungle out there" as teams adapt to the
new way of racing.
Instead of racking up hours on a state-of-the-art simulator, Verstappen joked
his practice now focused on collecting Mario Kart's speed-boosting mushrooms to
adapt to F1's new reliance on electrical power boosts.
Ferrari debuts ?Macarena'
George Russell is the driver to beat in Shanghai after his dominant win in
Australia last week, and Mercedes will be in contention for another 1-2 finish
in China.
The only team which came close to crashing the party was Ferrari, which threw
away its chances with a pit strategy error. A drive from seventh to second for
Russell's teammate Kimi Antonelli showed how Mercedes can sweep past other
teams even if the start doesn't go it way.
All eyes will be on Ferrari in first practice as it uses a unique rear wing
which rotates upside-down for more speed on the straights.
Dubbed the "flip-flop" or "Macarena", it was used briefly in testing, dropped
for Australia, and is the sort of innovation which could help Ferrari's Charles
Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton take the fight to Mercedes. It could also disrupt
the airflow and hinder cars following close behind.
Changes on the way
F1's governing body, the FIA, could take stock of how the racing is going and
make changes, potentially even in time for the Japanese Grand Prix later this
month.
One gripe so far has been the lack of control by drivers of when the electrical
power kicks in and how much is used.
They can't stop the power being deployed in typical straight-line driving and
can only add an extra boost, which in Australia meant cars finishing the
formation lap with an empty battery and lacking pace at the start. That's "not
a lot of fun and also quite dangerous," Verstappen said Thursday.
A related issue ended home hero Oscar Piastri's race before it began in
Australia, when the extra power kicked in unexpectedly and tipped him into the
barriers before he even reached the grid.
If F1 can't race next month in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which remain on the
schedule for now despite the Iran war, it would leave a five-week gap in the
calendar, which teams could use to refine any changes.
Zhou a boost for Cadillac
There hasn't been a Chinese driver on the grid since Zhou Guanyu left Sauber at
the end of 2024, but he's still a big celebrity in his home country. As reserve
driver for Cadillac, he could give the new team extra recognition in a key
market after its solid but unspectacular debut in Australia.
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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
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