Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari as he topped the sprint qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 driver narrowly beat Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.018 seconds in a major blow to McLaren around the Shanghai circuit. Hamilton will start Saturday’s sprint race from the front.
Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing first race with Ferrari in Melbourne. The seven-time champion said: “I’m a bit in shock. I can’t believe we got a pole in the sprint. It’s not the main race so we have some work to do for tomorrow.
“I didn’t expect that result but so happy and so proud. The last race was a disaster for us. We knew there was more performance in the car. It came alive from lap one.”
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Oscar Piastri was third and Lando Norris, winner of the season-opening race in Australia last weekend finished sixth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell.
Norris, meanwhile, will take the pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix after topping the practice season. He delivered a 1:31.504 to finish almost half a second clear of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.
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Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli was seventh, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda, Williams’ Alex Albon and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
The sprint race, a shorter race about one third of the distance of a grand prix, is scheduled at 03:00 GMT time on Saturday, with qualifying for the main race following at 07:00.
Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint Qualifying results
Lewis Hamilton Ferrari- 1:30.849
- Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing- +0.018
- Oscar Piastri McLaren- +0.080
- Charles Leclerc Ferrari- +0.208
- George Russell Mercedes- +0.320
- Lando Norris McLaren- +0.544
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes- +0.889
- Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls- +0.924
- Alexander Albon Williams– +1.003
- Lance Stroll Aston Martin- +1.133
- Fernando Alonso Aston Martin- 1:31.815
- Oliver Bearman Haas- 1:31.978
- Carlos Sainz Williams- 1:32.325
- Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber- 1:32.564
- Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls- no time
- Jack Doohan Alpine- 1:32.575
- Pierre Gasly Alpine- 1:32.640
- Esteban Ocon Haas F1 Team- 1:32.651
- Nico Hulkenberg Sauber- 1:32.675
- Liam Lawson Red Bull Racing- 1:32.729
