14/04/2019
NEWS STORY
Despite the expectations, today's Chinese Grand Prix wasn't the overtaking fest that had been expected, indeed, the 1,000th race in the history of the sport is not one that many will choose to remember.
One of the few decent moves was that when Max Verstappen tried it on with Sebastian Vettel shortly after their first pit stops, the Dutchman going for a late, late attack at the hairpin.
Though he got alongside the Ferrari, having run deep, Vettel switched to the inside, getting back alongside the Red Bull and holding him off on the run to the following corner.
Speaking after the race, Vettel admitted that it is his previous experience of Verstappen's tactics that left him more than ready for the move when it came.
"I saw him coming and the speed delta at the end of the straights is quite big now," said the German. "Knowing Max as well as I do I knew that he will try.
"I was sort of predicting that he will try and go down the inside and I tried to cut back, and it worked," he smiled. "I had a bit of a moment, I had to open the car a bit, but it was good.
"I could nearly get a car length ahead of him and the angle into the last corner for him wasn't very sexy. It was good fun but we would have loved to be a bit faster."
It proved to be a turning point, for Verstappen was never again in a position to make another challenge, having to eventually settle for fourth.
"I tried under braking because his tyres were still a bit cold," said Verstappen of the move. "Then on the exit he made it quite close, but I would've done the same, so it was all right."
The move came a year after a similar incident at the same corner saw the pair touch, causing both to spin.
Check out our Sunday gallery from Shanghai, here.