Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton delivered a stunning performance to secure pole position during Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, narrowly getting the better of Red Bull rival Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.
Hamilton posted a time of 1m 30.849s during the decisive SQ3 phase to pip Verstappen to the top spot by 0.018s, with Piastri and the other Ferrari of Charles Leclerc not much further back in an ultra-close session.
Hamilton’s benchmark was a new lap record around the Shanghai International Circuit and, when informed of his pole over the radio, the seven-time World Champion initially could not believe it. “Really?” Hamilton asked with several laughs.
George Russell led the Mercedes charge in fifth position, taking advantage of a scruffy final segment for Lando Norris, who had looked rapid in his McLaren early on, only to make a mistake on his first SQ3 lap and abandon the second.
Next up was Kimi Antonelli, around half a second down on more experienced team mate Russell, as Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda, the Williams of Alex Albon and the lead Aston Martin of Lance Stroll rounded out the top 10 positions.
Fernando Alonso just missed out on a place in SQ3 in the other Aston Martin, while Ollie Bearman bounced back from a challenging debut F1 weekend in Australia to put his Haas 12th over Williams’ Carlos Sainz, Kick Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar.
It was another tough session for Red Bull newcomer Liam Lawson, whose struggles at the season opener carried over in a painful SQ1 exit – the New Zealander’s deleted final lap time for exceeding track limits leaving him 20th and last on the Sprint grid.
Alpine also endured a difficult afternoon, losing both cars at the first hurdle – Jack Doohan marginally quicker than team mate Pierre Gasly in P16 and P17 respectively – alongside Lawson and the other Haas and Sauber machines of Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg.
FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2025 – Sprint Qualifying results
|
POS |
NO |
DRIVER |
CAR |
Q1 |
Q2 |
Q3 |
LAPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
44 |
Lewis Hamilton |
Ferrari |
1:31.212 |
1:31.384 |
1:30.849 |
15 |
|
2 |
1 |
Max Verstappen |
Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT |
1:31.916 |
1:31.521 |
1:30.867 |
12 |
|
3 |
81 |
Oscar Piastri |
McLaren Mercedes |
1:31.723 |
1:31.362 |
1:30.929 |
13 |
|
4 |
16 |
Charles Leclerc |
Ferrari |
1:31.518 |
1:31.561 |
1:31.057 |
15 |
|
5 |
63 |
George Russell |
Mercedes |
1:31.952 |
1:31.346 |
1:31.169 |
18 |
|
6 |
4 |
Lando Norris |
McLaren Mercedes |
1:31.396 |
1:31.174 |
1:31.393 |
13 |
|
7 |
12 |
Andrea Kimi Antonelli |
Mercedes |
1:31.999 |
1:31.475 |
1:31.738 |
17 |
|
8 |
22 |
Yuki Tsunoda |
Racing Bulls Honda RBPT |
1:32.316 |
1:31.794 |
1:31.773 |
12 |
|
9 |
23 |
Alexander Albon |
Williams Mercedes |
1:32.462 |
1:31.539 |
1:31.852 |
14 |
|
10 |
18 |
Lance Stroll |
Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes |
1:32.327 |
1:31.742 |
1:31.982 |
12 |
|
11 |
14 |
Fernando Alonso |
Aston Martin Aramco Mercedes |
1:32.121 |
1:31.815 |
|
8 |
|
12 |
87 |
Oliver Bearman |
Haas Ferrari |
1:32.269 |
1:31.978 |
|
9 |
|
13 |
55 |
Carlos Sainz |
Williams Mercedes |
1:32.457 |
1:32.325 |
|
10 |
|
14 |
5 |
Gabriel Bortoleto |
Kick Sauber Ferrari |
1:32.539 |
1:32.564 |
|
12 |
|
15 |
6 |
Isack Hadjar |
Racing Bulls Honda RBPT |
1:32.171 |
DNF |
|
8 |
|
16 |
7 |
Jack Doohan |
Alpine Renault |
1:32.575 |
|
|
6 |
|
17 |
10 |
Pierre Gasly |
Alpine Renault |
1:32.640 |
|
|
6 |
|
18 |
31 |
Esteban Ocon |
Haas Ferrari |
1:32.651 |
|
|
6 |
|
19 |
27 |
Nico Hulkenberg |
Kick Sauber Ferrari |
1:32.675 |
|
|
6 |
|
20 |
30 |
Liam Lawson |
Red Bull Racing Honda RBPT |
1:32.729 |
|
|
5 |
Formula 1 Media | Photo: Formula 1 Media
