Ricciardo's RB launched after horror hit

Another Formula 1 race, another race victory for Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

The three-time defending champion won the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday starting from pole — marking his fourth victory in five races this season and his 23rd in the last 27 GPs extending through to last season.

Only a brake failure last month at the Australian GP in Melbourne likely kept him from sweeping all five.

Verstappen trailed for only a few laps following a pit stop.

McLaren’s Lando Norris finished about 14 seconds behind Verstappen in second place — the eighth time he has been No.2 in his career as he still seeks his first race victory. While Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was third.

The Ferrari pair of Charles Leclerc (fourth) and Carlos Sainz (fifth) rounded out the top five, holding off Mercedes driver George Russell and Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin in sixth and seventh, respectively.

The rest of the points finishers following on were Oscar Piastri of McLaren, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes and Haas driver Nico Hulkenberg in tenth.

Verstappen now has 110 points to lead the standings followed by Perez (85), Leclerc (76), Sainz (69) and Norris (58).