Chinese Grand Prix 2018 - Race Schedule and Countdown

Daniel Ricciardo delivered a masterful wet-weather performance to win the Chinese Grand Prix, capitalizing on chaos at the front to secure Red Bull's first victory of the 2018 season. The Australian's aggressive strategy and brilliant racecraft in mixed conditions allowed him to overcome Ferrari's superior pace and claim his sixth career win.

Starting from sixth on the grid behind pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel, Ricciardo found himself in contention when Vettel and Max Verstappen collided while battling for the lead on lap 43. Verstappen had attempted a bold overtake on Vettel, but the two made contact, damaging Vettel's car and forcing him to pit for a new front wing. The collision promoted both Red Bulls, with Ricciardo taking the lead and managing the remainder of the race superbly despite intense pressure from Valtteri Bottas. Ricciardo also set the fastest lap, completing a dominant weekend performance.

The Safety Car triggered by the Vettel-Verstappen incident reshuffled the order, with Bottas finishing second for Mercedes and Kimi Raikkonen recovering to third for Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton could only manage fourth after struggling with car balance all weekend. The result was a blow to Vettel's championship ambitions, as his error while defending cost him a likely victory and allowed Hamilton to close the gap in the standings. For Ricciardo, it marked the first of two wins he would score in his final season with Red Bull before his controversial move to Renault.