Hamilton enjoyed a first “really special” victory in Ferrari Red after winning the sprint race in a dominant way. The seven times world champion has checked the pole position race to add a Sprint victory to his record of six great triumphs in Shanghai.
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Oscar Piastri de McLaren storm his very first pole position on Saturday at the Chinese Grand Prix in front of George Russell of Mercedes, after Lewis Hamilton won the Sprint race.
The second row of the main Sunday race will be filled with the teammate of Piastri Lando Norris and the world champion Max Verstappen de Red Bull.
Hamilton will start in fifth after winning his first victory for Ferrari in the morning sprint in Shanghai.
Next to him in the third row will be the teammate Charles Leclerc with Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon finishing the top 10.
“I found a lot of pace in the third quarter,” said Australian Piastri.
“The towers were a bit scrutinized but I’m just pumped to be on the post.”
Piastri, who was second in the sprint, said it would be important to escape in front of the 56 -round race on Sunday when tire preservation could be a key factor.
“I want to make sure to keep the air clean. I was quite happy after the sprint,” he said.
“I have the impression that we learned a lot and I can’t wait to put it from that tomorrow.”
Discreet shine of @OScarpiaStri
Australian storms in its first pole position F1 🤩# F1 #Chinesegp pic.twitter.com/kx2higw7m8
– Formula 1 (@ f1) March 22, 2025
Russell was delighted to go up to the front row alongside Piastri.
“Fans incredible to be honest,” said English.
“Did something totally different in this last round and everything met.”
Norris finally found a rhythm after being eighth in the sprint.
“I am still disappointed if I am not on the post but oscar merit today,” said Norris, who won the opening of the season in Melbourne last week.
Hamilton previously enjoyed a first “really special” victory in Ferrari Red after winning the sprint race in a dominant way.
The seven times world champion has checked the pole position race to add a Sprint victory to his record of six great triumphs in Shanghai.
He took the checkered flag 6.889 seconds ahead of Piastri with Verstappen third.
Hamilton came out of his car after the finish line at a crescendo of mass fans cheers, which deployed huge banners displaying its number 44.
‘Really special weekend’
“It’s a really, really special weekend so far,” the 40-year-old English told journalists.
“China and Shanghai have always been really good for me since my first race here in 2007. It’s a song that I really like to drive.
“It is difficult to put in words what it does.”
Hamilton used his vast experience to enjoy pure air at the front of the peloton and breastfeed his tires on 19 laps.
“I think it’s usually quite close between us all,” said Hamilton.
“I was just trying to manage (the tires) from the start, then the last one, like, five laps or something, I was in a really comfortable position.”
Verstappen pressure on Hamilton in the first half of the race, but later suffered in cooked rubber allowing Piastri to pass five laps.
“Unfortunately, the last eight laps, we did not have the rhythm of the others, so I was trying to survive there,” said Verstappen, who won the sprint and main race in China last year.
THE #Chinesegp Qualification results ⤵️# F1 pic.twitter.com/nrck1pjozq
– Formula 1 (@ f1) March 22, 2025
In the qualification of the Grand Prix, the recruit Liam Lawson continued its terrible start to life in Red Bull after having crashed in Melbourne and took place last in Sprint.
The New Zealander failed to connect his qualification tires and followed the 20th on the time sheets and will start from the back of the grid for a second time successive.
“It’s really difficult, honestly,” said a disappointed Lawson. “I just need to get out of it.”
Esteban Ocon was 11th and joined by Nico Hulkenberg, Fernando Alonso, launches Stroll and the 15th Sainz Carlos the fastest so as not to make the shooting of the Top 10 from Q2.
Pierre Gasly and colleagues recruits from Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto.
