Wheel-to-wheel while brushing the edge of contact in the fight for third place: the two Ferraris produced a thrilling finale for the fans, and Formula 1 could only be grateful. Then, after the race, came a gesture that summed up the spirit of the duel.
SHANGHAI (CHINA) – Many things can be said about it. Some may argue that it ultimately helped Mercedes, others may say it was risky or that it reduced Ferrari’s chances of scoring more points. But one thing cannot be denied: the Ferrari fight in China was spectacular and deeply exciting. On the Shanghai circuit, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton produced a dream “bagarre,” exchanging overtakes and counter-overtakes lap after lap. Mercedes may have thanked them on the way to its second one-two finish of the season, but the fans and Formula 1 itself were grateful as well after witnessing such an incredible spectacle.
Hamilton and Leclerc deliver a spectacular fight in China
After the Safety Car period, the pit stops and their charge back past George Russell, Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc found themselves close together in second and third position. Suddenly, the Monegasque driver made his move and slipped past his teammate at Turn 14.
The British driver appeared almost surprised at first, but what followed was a thrilling duel. It was a battle right on the limit of contact, wheel-to-wheel, with neither driver willing to give an inch. Lap after lap they pushed each other to the limit, offering fans one of the most entertaining fights of the race.
In the end, it was Hamilton who came out on top. Taking advantage of a lock-up from Leclerc in the closing stages, the seven-time world champion executed the decisive overtake before opening up a small gap that he maintained all the way to the chequered flag.
George Russell also benefited from the situation, reclaiming second position while the two Ferraris lost valuable time battling each other. But in truth, the dominant Mercedes power unit would likely have allowed the British driver to pass both Ferraris anyway, meaning their duel simply accelerated the inevitable outcome.
The gesture between Leclerc and Hamilton after the on-track spectacle
Many fans expected heated reactions, angry complaints and furious team radio messages after such an intense battle between teammates. Instead, nothing of the sort happened.
“It’s a really fun battle,” was the only team radio message from Charles Leclerc during the fight.
Then, after crossing the finish line, a gesture perfectly summed up the situation and made it clear that there was no tension inside Ferrari, only a desire to race hard and enjoy the competition. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc pulled alongside each other on the cool-down lap and exchanged thumbs-up gestures, congratulating one another for the thrilling fight they had just delivered.
The same sentiment was echoed in their post-race interviews. “Lewis did a better job, he was faster than me. I’m happy for him and disappointed for myself, but I really had a lot of fun,” said the Monegasque.
“The battle with Charles was fantastic,” the Briton replied, praising his Maranello teammate.
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur also remained calm and satisfied with what had happened on track. “A Ferrari fight? Nobody exaggerated, everything was under control,” he explained. “It was difficult to freeze the positions, so I think it was the right decision to let them race. It was a great battle for the team, for Formula 1 and for the fans. The guys are working well and I let them race.”
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