MUST-SEE: Enjoy Sainz and Alonso’s dare-devil battle for P3 in the Shanghai Sprint

Lap 16 of 19 of the Shanghai Sprint witnessed a fascinating battle between the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and the Aston Martin of Fernando Alonso for third place – with an unlikely driver coming out on top in the scrap…

Sainz had spent the previous laps hounding Alonso’s Aston Martin, before finally going into attack mode on Lap 16. Sainz looked to have got the move on the two-time champion done out of Turn 6, only for Alonso to fight back in the following corners – the pair touching as Alonso tried to re-pass, contact that saw Alonso retire and Sainz drop to P5 at the flag.

READ MORE: Verstappen charges to victory over Hamilton in dramatic Shanghai Sprint

The big beneficiary, however, was Sergio Perez, who pounced on Sainz and Alonso’s squabble to claim P3 in the Sprint, behind Red Bull team mate and victor Max Verstappen and the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.

“We gave everything,” said a philosophical Alonso after the Sprint. “Unfortunately we didn’t finish the race, but I think it was good fun.

“We did a couple of corners wheel-to-wheel racing with Carlos, then at the end, unfortunately we touched and we had a puncture, so we had to retire the car. But the Sprint race doesn’t give too many points so let’s focus into tomorrow’s race.”

READ MORE: Pole-sitter Norris brands Shanghai Sprint ‘frustrating’ after Lap 1 error leaves him P6

“I think [Fernando] was way too optimistic to try and pass me back and pushed me off the track,” was Sainz’s view. “That damaged my car, a lot of dirt on my tyres, and started going backwards from then.

“Until then it was a solid race. It’s just a shame that it cost us both the race.”

Watch the exciting action in the video above.