Lewis Hamilton clinched his first victory in Ferrari colors at the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, marking a memorable moment in his second weekend with the team. The seven-time world champion dominated the 19-lap race from pole position, securing the win and extending his strong record at the Shanghai International Circuit, where he has previously won six full-length grands prix.
Despite his triumph in the sprint, Hamilton qualified only fifth for the main race, which will see McLaren’s Oscar Piastri start from pole position for the first time in his Formula 1 career. Piastri delivered an impressive performance in qualifying, edging out Mercedes’ George Russell, who will line up alongside him on the front row.
Hamilton’s victory was met with enthusiastic cheers from fans, who displayed massive banners bearing his iconic number 44. Speaking after the race, he expressed his appreciation for the support and his fondness for the Shanghai circuit, where he made his debut back in 2007. He acknowledged that Ferrari had made slight changes to his car’s setup before qualifying, which made it more challenging to drive.
The sprint race highlighted significant tyre degradation, particularly for drivers attempting to follow closely behind their rivals. Hamilton noted that this could impact the strategy for the main race, where he will start from the third row alongside teammate Charles Leclerc.
Joining Piastri and Russell at the front of the grid are McLaren’s championship leader Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who will start from the second row. Piastri expressed his excitement at securing his first-ever grand prix pole, stating that while he had been close before, this achievement held special meaning for him. He reflected on his strong start to the season, despite a setback in his home race in Melbourne, where a late spin cost him a potential podium.
Russell was equally thrilled about his front-row start, revealing that he took a different approach on his final lap, which paid off. Norris, who struggled in the sprint and finished eighth, was pleased with his improvement in qualifying but admitted he had hoped for pole position. He acknowledged his teammate Piastri’s performance and stated that the result was well-deserved.
Verstappen, who is pursuing a fifth consecutive world championship, conceded that Red Bull had not been quick enough throughout the weekend. He admitted that he was struggling to extract the best performance from the car, making it difficult to execute perfect laps. With his starting position on the second row, he suggested that his best chance for victory might come if the leading drivers encountered problems during the race.
Meanwhile, rookie Liam Lawson continued to face difficulties in his debut season with Red Bull. Following a crash in Melbourne, he found himself at the back of the grid once again after failing to get his tyres into the right operating window. Frustrated with his struggles, Lawson admitted that he needed to adapt quickly to improve his performance.
Elsewhere on the grid, Esteban Ocon will start 11th, followed by Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, and Carlos Sainz. Further down, Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Lawson complete the starting order.
With Piastri leading the pack, the upcoming race promises an exciting battle, particularly with Hamilton eager to continue his momentum and Verstappen searching for answers to Red Bull’s pace concerns.
