Nico Rosberg has praised his long-time rival, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, for a ‘super smart tactic’ during the F1 Sprint at the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
The Jiading District has, finally, welcomed Formula 1 back to East Asia for the first time since 2019. Hamilton also won the last Chinese GP in a Mercedes one-two with Valtteri Bottas. He is the most successful driver at the Chinese GP to date with six wins ahead of the 2024 race.
Hamilton had the chance to seal his maiden Sprint victory at the 2024 Chinese GP, as well. The 39-year-old is still yet to triumph in the shortened event since Formula 1 first introduced it during 2021. He finished 13 seconds off Red Bull star Max Verstappen to settle for second.
Lewis Hamilton impressed Nico Rosberg with his ‘very smart’ overtake on Lando Norris
Mercedes hero Hamilton led the F1 Sprint at the Chinese GP for the first nine of the 19 laps before Verstappen put a move on the Briton. The 26-year-old pulled off an easy move at the Turn 14 hairpin. Hamilton barely defended from the Red Bull driver, who then breezed clear.
But the way that Hamilton fought Lando Norris for the lead of the Sprint impressed Rosberg. The 2016 drivers’ champion respected how Hamilton utilised his seven-time championship-winning experience to run the McLaren racer out wide and force Norris to concede the lead.
READ MORE: 5 unforgettable Chinese GP moments including Schumacher’s last win in F1
Hamilton had a superior start compared to Norris as they shot off the front row of the grid. It gave the 39-year-old the inside line but 24-year-old Norris refused to yield to Hamilton as they ran through Turn 2. So, Hamilton ran wide and forced his compatriot to use the run-off.
“[Norris] tried to hang it around the outside,” Rosberg said on Sky Sports F1 (20/4, 04:07). “He has the slightly quicker car, so it was working. But look how Lewis just runs him off. Very, very smart from Lewis. Super smart tactic. He did a great job.”
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton settled for second in the F1 Sprint at the 2024 Chinese GP
Norris dropped to seventh after trying to fight Hamilton over the lead of the F1 Sprint at the Chinese GP. The McLaren driver would also only recover to P6 after Fernando Alonso retired as the Aston Martin driver suffered a puncture. Hamilton ultimately settled for second place.
Verstappen made light work of building his lead over Hamilton once the three-time drivers’ champion secured the lead. While Alonso fighting with Ferrari duo Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc plus Sergio Perez of Red Bull for P3 allowed Hamilton to control the runners-up spot.
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