The school leaving certificate: Shanghai

SEBASTIAN VETTEL: Sebastian Vettel's nerves will be put to the test again and again this year. His Ferrari is apparently not as good as hoped, but his new teammate Charles Leclerc is at least as good as expected. That's why Vettel has two problems after three races this season: He currently doesn't have the material to keep up with Mercedes and is therefore in danger of missing out on the world title in Ferrari's fifth year. At the same time, he has to fight for his status as number one in public and possibly within the team itself. The Inquiries about the stable order In any case, they really annoy the Germans. But he will have to put up with it as long as he doesn't eliminate all doubts on the track - or team boss Mattia Binotto speaks an unambiguous word of power.

CHARLES LECLERC: After the 1000th Grand Prix in Formula 1 history, the Monegasque man looked as if it had been raining since he arrived in Shanghai. Of course he submits to the team's decisions, the polite young man explained, after all, the command post has more of an eye on the big picture than a driver in the cockpit. But he had shown no understanding whatsoever for the directive to let his more experienced teammate Vettel pass on the eleventh lap. The fact that he was subsequently unable to make a significant difference probably did little to brighten Leclerc's mood - nor did the timing of his pit stops, which meant he even lost fourth place to Max Verstappen.

Huge talent at Ferrari: Charles Leclerc. © APA/afp / WANG ZHAO

LEWIS HAMILTON: Lewis Hamilton is once again on the sunny side of Formula 1. The five-time world champion ended a weekend that he had only had a bumpy start to in the style of a champion: with a confident victory. Even if Mercedes continues to emphasize that it was close in every race, three double victories for the silver team speak for themselves. Mercedes seems to be the benchmark in the premier class for the sixth year in a row. And Hamilton is the driver to beat.

VALTTERI BOTTAS: Given the balance of power between the teams and the World Cup standings, the Finn and Hamilton stablemate is probably the Brit's only serious opponent. And Bottas, winner of the opening race in Australia and pole-sitter in Shanghai, has nothing else in mind. The Finn was correspondingly depressed after a race that he lost due to his bad start. He is still only six points behind Hamilton, but his consistency has been impressive so far. Only: Hamilton, 75-time Grand Prix winner since Sunday, will not let up. And if any driver can turn a bad start to a weekend into gold, it's Hamilton.

NICO HÜLKENBERG: Things aren't really making any progress for the German. Eighth place in qualifying offered Hülkenberg a good starting position, but after components of the power unit on his Renault had been replaced before the race, his energy recovery system (MGU-K) gave up after a third of the race. All that remains for Hülkenberg to do is to believe in the potential of the major Renault project. But Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull are still far ahead.

SAYING OF THE WEEKEND: “It was clear that I would be asked this question.” (Sebastian Vettel on the discussions about the Ferrari stable order in Shanghai)

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The school leaving certificate: Shanghai

Sebastian Vettel has to fight for his status as number 1 at Ferrari, Valtteri Bottas is giving world champion Lewis Hamilton a lot of steam - the certificate of maturity from China.

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