As Luca's pressure began to loom large in his mirrors, Di Renzo naturally made calculated decisions for his survival.
Securing a P4 finish from the most dangerous driver on the grid mattered more than a late-race hunt for the podium. So, the Italian tightened his lines and began defending with intent, reshaping his final laps against Rennick.
51 laps. Because of the tension, everyone had forgotten about the heat. The circuit was loud and electric, alive with pressure as the machines raced the complex once more. A race with zero DNFs, meaning the final positions were a battle to sweat over, even for the benchmarkers.
As the thirteenth race of the season, many said the Chinese Grand Prix held significant weight in the championship fight because, historically, this was the average point per season at which momentum usually hardened into destiny.
After all, this time last year, Luigi won the Canadian Grand Prix. He and Squadra Corse later went on to win the championship.
