F1 Chinese GP LIVE: Oscar Piastri claims brilliant pole as Lewis Hamilton falters in qualifying

F1 CHINESE GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES

• The Chinese Grand Prix is at 7am (GMT) on Sunday morning
• Oscar Piastri on pole for the Chinese GP; Russell 2nd; Norris 3rd
• Click HERE for the top-10 in qualifying
• Lewis Hamilton won the China GP sprint race earlier on Saturday; Piastri 2nd; Verstappen 3rd
• TRIBUTE: Rock-and-roll Eddie Jordan gave Schumacher his debut – and his flamboyance captivated F1’s paddock

TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING

1. Oscar Piastri - 1:30:641

2. George Russell +0.082

3. Lando Norris + 0.152

4. Max Verstappen +0.176

5. Lewis Hamilton +0.286

6. Charles Leclerc +0.380

7. Isack Hadjar +0.438

8. Kimi Antonelli +0.462

9. Yuki Tsunoda +0.997

10. Alex Albon +1.065

FULL STARTING GRID FOR CHINESE GP

1. Oscar Piastri

2. George Russell

3. Lando Norris

4. Max Verstappen

5. Lewis Hamilton

6. Charles Leclerc

7. Isack Hadjar

8. Kimi Antonelli

9. Yuki Tsunoda

10. Alex Albon

11. Esteban Ocon

12. Nico Hulkenberg

13. Fernando Alonso

14. Lance Stroll

15. Carlos Sainz

16. Pierre Gasly

17. Ollie Bearman

18. Jack Doohan

19. Gabriel Bortoleto

20. Liam Lawson

Oscar Piastri after qualifying on pole:

“The car came alive in Q3 and I came alive in Q3. Even at the end laps were scruffy but pumped to be on pole.

“When you hook it up, it feels pretty mega.

“I was pretty happy after the sprint, we did the most we could of. We learned a lot this morning, looking forward to putting that to use tomorrow.”

What time is the Chinese GP?

The race is at 7am (GMT) on Sunday morning.

George Russell after qualifying P2:

“Feels incredible to be honest, one of the hardest quali sessions I’ve done in a long, long time. Nothing seemed to be clicking, did something different on that final lap and it worked, happy with P2.

“I had a big moment at turn 1 but it all came together, I was really surprised when I crossed the line. Buzzing, looking forward to tomorrow.”

Lando Norris after qualifying P3:

“Always disappointed if I’m not on pole, Oscar deserves it today - happy for him.

“A couple of mistakes again, been my case again. Car was a bit better today, a step in the right direction. Not too disappointed.

“We changed a lot on the car because we were nowhere. We’ll see.”

Oscar Piastri:

“That was the hairpin of my life! I had a little scream in my helmet! I won’t break your eardrums!

Oscar Piastri on pole position in China!

No-one improves... apart from Oscar Piastri!

He sets a new lap record in Shanghai - while George Russell found some pace to go P2, by 0.082 secs!

3-10: Norris, Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, Hadjar, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Albon

What a lap from Russell at the end! But it’s Piastri’s first pole position for a grand prix in F1!

Oscar Piastri on provisional pole!

It’s close!

Oscar Piastri P1 after the first laps, ahead of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris in P2 by 0.090 seconds!

3-10: Verstappen, Hamilton, Russell, Leclerc, Hadjar, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Albon

Looks like McLaren have finally unlocked the performance in their car... can anyone respond with their second laps?!

5:00 to go in Q3...

Q3 underway!

Here we go then with the top-10 shootout for pole!

10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Leclerc, Russell, Antonelli, Hadjar, Tsunoda, Albon

Verstappen, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all have two new soft tyres per driver... so no excuses here!

Alex Albon:

Engineer: “Just snuck in by a whisper.”

Albon: “Come on, come on!”

Isack Hadjar, incidentally, P4 in that session and through to Q3 alongside RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda!

Wow!

Carlos Sainz out in Q2!

Sainz barely improved and he’s out in P15!

Alex Albon escapes though in P10 for Williams!

Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Ocon, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Stroll, Sainz

Top-3: Norris, Verstappen, Piastri

Hamilton only P8 - but through!

Carlos Sainz in trouble!

Sainz has struggled this weekend so far and, at the moment, he’s heading out in P15!

Current bottom-five (11-15): Stroll, Ocon, Hadjar, Alonso, Sainz

Charles Leclerc a bit nervous in P9. Top-3: Norris, Piastri, Verstappen

5:00 to go...

Liam Lawson, after qualifying P20:

“It’s really tough honestly, the window is really small. It’s not an excuse, I’ve got to get a handle of it. It was a messy session, it’s still not good enough.

“To be having those issues, we should be fast enough on our first lap. I need to get on top of it.

“It’s just time. Unfortunately I don’t really have time, it’s just one of those things. To drive a Formula 1 car, it takes 100% confidence. The window is so small and I just seem to miss it, need to get a handle of. It’s just not good enough.”

Q2 underway!

Here we go then with the second phase of qualifying - 15 minutes where we will eliminate five more drivers ahead of the top-10 shootout!

Any shocks here, we think? The field is very, very close!

George Russell on team radio:

Russell not overly impressed with being told “we need this lap.”

Russell: “Too stressful guys, too much pressure.”

He finished top-5 in the end...

Liam Lawson out in P20 again!

Another nightmare session for Liam Lawson - plum last again!

What a nightmare start this is turning out to be for the Kiwi!

Bottom-five and out in Q1 (16-20): Gasly, Bearman, Doohan, Bortoleto, Lawson

Top-3: Norris, Hadjar, Tsunoda. Nice from Racing Bulls!

Russell's engineer:

“Just to be clear George, we do need this lap.”

Russell in P10 ahead of these final laps...

Carlos Sainz heading out!

Lando Norris gets himself safe in P5, with Kimi Antonelli now in P3.

The biggest name heading out in Q1? Carlos Sainz, currently P18.

Current bottom-five (16-20): Ocon, Gasly, Sainz, Lawson, Doohan

2:00 to go...

Charles Leclerc also in trouble, around 13th... drama to come!

Liam Lawson under investigation!

The Red Bull driver being looked at, at the stewards, for failing to slow down under yellow flag conditions.

More problems for the Kiwi, who is currently in the bottom-five...

Lando Norris track limits!

Norris gets his time deleted and he’s P20 as a result!

Current bottom-five (16-20): Sainz, Antonelli, Lawson, Doohan, Norris,

A few big names heading out at the moment!

5:00 to go.

Top-3: Verstappen, Piastri, Hamilton

Jack Doohan off track!

Doohan picked up a 10-second penalty for his collision with Gabriel Bortoleto at the end of the sprint, and he’s spun into the run-off area here!

All OK though - he gets on with it as he re-enters the track.

14:00 to go..

Q1 underway!

Big queue at the end of the pitlane as we get underway with qualifying in Shanghai!

18 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers..

Qualifying coming right up!

So after Lewis Hamilton’s victory earlier, is he now the favourite for pole this morning?

What about McLaren - can Lando Norris respond after a poor weekend so far?

And you can never count out Max Verstappen,

Qualifying should be a thriller - and it’s coming up at 7am (GMT)!

VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton reacts after sprint win

Lewis' immediate reaction after winning for Ferrari for the first time ☝️ pic.twitter.com/2OvJbS5esa

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 22, 2025

TOP-8 IN CHINA GP SPRINT RACE

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Max Verstappen

4. George Russell

5. Charles Leclerc

6. Yuki Tsunoda

7. Kimi Antonelli

8. Lando Norris

Lewis Hamilton after his sprint race win:

“Straight away, on Monday, I hit Riccardo up and said the things I wanted to start with this weekend, much happier with that, a couple of changes - from the moment I started driving yesterday, I felt more at one with the car.

“The last race in the wet was my first long run, that was my first proper long run. Still working with this car, really happy with how that came out.”

Charles Leclerc, after P5 in sprint:

“The potential is there because Lewis is using it, I am not. I struggle like crazy here. We have this afternoon to turn the situation around, I hope we can find something.”

Red Bull's Liam Lawson after P14 in sprint:

“Even if you’re faster, it’s harder to overtake. We all know qualifying is important, this really shows it.”

TOP-TWO IN SPRINT

The front two in parc ferme after the Sprint 🏁@OscarPiastri 🤝 @LewisHamilton#McLaren | #ChineseGP 🇨🇳 pic.twitter.com/acmbU64BV6

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 22, 2025

TOP-10 IN CHAMPIONSHIP AFTER SPRINT

1. Lando Norris - 26 points

2. Max Verstappen - 24 points

3. George Russell - 20 points

4. Kimi Antonelli - 14 points

5. Alex Albon - 10 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 9 points

7. Oscar Piastri - 9 points

8. Charles Leclerc - 8 points

9. Lance Stroll - 8 points

10. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella:

“Ferrari and in particular Lewis have proven to be very quick, well done to them. Not a surprise.

“The pace of Ferrari today was superior to ours, let’s see with qualifying... good learning for us in the sprint.

“Not a big surprise for me that it’s so level.”

Lando Norris after finishing eighth:

“I had a bad first lap, ran into the grass a bit, lost a couple of positions, then difficult to do a lot. Quali wasn’t good, I wasn’t good today either.

“In the race, I feel dreadful. It is what it is.”

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur:

“The race was all about tyre management, he did very well. He was much faster than Piastri and Verstappen.

“Quali this afternoon will be crucial for tomorrow, the track is improving massively also.

“Today McLaren struggled much more than us.”

Lewis Hamilton on his win:

“I woke up feeling great today. We have this amazing crowd... the race was difficult, a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to come to a new team.

“The amount of critics, yapping on the way, maybe because they’ve not had the experience. Great to come here and feel more comfortable in the car, really on it. We’ve fine-tuned the car and it felt great today.

“I don’t feel the pressure. I know the tifosi wants to win, know it means everything ot them. I said the other day, Rome wasn’t built in one day, one step at a time. Be diligent and stay calm. It’s a marathon not a sprint right!”

Oscar Piastri, after finishing second:

“It was a really productive sprint, finishing second is a great result. I learned a lot. We didn’t have enough pace for Lewis out front but we’ve got some ideas for later.”

Max Verstappen after finishing third:

“I tried to give it a go, unfortunately the last eight laps we didn’t have the pace to the others. Trying to survive out there, I take P3.

“We’ll look into the data and see what we ca improve on the car but overall we lack pace.”

What time is qualifying?

So... that makes anticipation high ahead of the real deal later!

Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix is at 7am (GMT).

Don’t miss it!

Oscar Piastri:

“Some good learnings for tomorrow, thanks everyone.”

Lewis Hamilton:

“Great job guys! Yes! Great job mate.”

TOP-8 IN CHINA GP SPRINT RACE

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Max Verstappen

4. George Russell

5. Charles Leclerc

6. Yuki Tsunoda

7. Kimi Antonelli

8. Lando Norris

Lewis Hamilton wins for Ferrari!

Historic moment for Lewis Hamilton - he wins the sprint race for his first win for Ferrari!

A sturdy performance, retaining the lead at the start, before pulling away from Max Verstappen!

Smiles in the pit-lane from Hamilton’s dad Anthony!

Lewis Hamilton has a healthy lead (Lap 17/19)

It’s a five-second lead for Hamilton, with two laps left!

Piastri now 1.5 seconds lead ahead of Verstappen.

Lando Norris, meanwhile, has finally got up to eighth with a dive down the inside of Lance Stroll!

And that’s Norris in the points!

Oscar Piastri takes second! (Lap 15/19)

Piastri gets it done down the inside of the back straight!

Piastri in P2! Can he catch Hamilton, two seconds down the road?!

Oscar Piastri makes a move on Max Verstappen (Lap 14/19)

Piastri has a sighter dow the inside of the main straight but Verstappen defends well!

Out in front, Lewis Hamilton now has a 2.0 second lead to Verstappen!

4-8: Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Stroll

Antonelli the only one within DRS...

Max Verstappen struggling (Lap 11/19)

Max Verstappen was pushing - within 0.3 seconds of Hamilton - but maybe he’s ruined his tyres, as he’s dropped 1.5 seconds behind!

Verstappen now under pressure from Piastri - 0.6 secs the gap.

4-8: Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Stroll

Norris now three seconds behind Stroll in ninth!

Hamilton:

“I’ve got front left graining.”

Verstappen now within DRS... 0.7 secs...

Lewis Hamilton still in P1! (Lap 8/19)

The race just getting some structure now...

Hamilton has a 1.1 second lead so it’s marginal... but it’s still outside DRS!

Piastri has it though by 0.8 seconds to Verstappen!

4-10: Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Stroll, Norris, Alonso

Lewis Hamilton outside of DRS range! (Lap 3/19)

This is the old school Lewis Hamilton we remember!

He’s flying in the SF-25 around Shanghai - and with a one-two finish, he’s outside DRS to Verstappen!

Top-10: Hamilton, Verstappen, Piastri, Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli, Stroll, Norris, Alonso

A reminder: only the top-8 get points! Work to do for Norris...

George Russell takes fourth from Leclerc!

The Mercedes getting it done down the back straight for fourth!

Hamilton 0.7 secs in front of Verstappen - can he get out of DRS range early doors here?!

Lights out!

They’re away cleanly - and Lewis Hamilton reacts well!

Max Verstappen goes aggressive but the Brit holds the Red Bull behind him at turn 1!

Lando Norris, meanwhile, has dropped from sixth to ninth (and out of the points) after getting out of shape in combat with George Russell!

All clean though...

Formation lap!

Lewis Hamilton - yes, Lewis Hamilton! - leads the pack around then for the formation lap ahead of the sprint!

It will be 19 laps around this circuit, with the entire field on medium tyres to start with.

A reminder: no mandatory pit stops for this race.

Who will lead after lap one here?!

Good morning!

A quick reminder of the format of this race and the points on offer:

Saturday: Sprint race (Top-eight receive points, finish order has no impact on grand prix grid, no mandatory pit stops); Grand Prix qualifying

Sunday: Grand Prix

How many points are on offer in the sprint race?

P1 - Eight points

P2 - Seven points

P3 - Six points

P4 - Five points

P5 - four points

P6 - three points

P7 - two points

P8 - one point

Rock-and-roll Eddie Jordan gave Schumacher his debut – and his flamboyance captivated F1’s paddock

An old-school Irishman of quick wit and vibrancy, Eddie Jordan was a Formula One figure whose influence touched every corner of motorsport’s most-famed paddock throughout a career in the sport lasting over 30 years.

From a promising race driver and savvy team owner to a captivating broadcaster and erudite manager, Jordan’s sad passing at the age of 76 on Thursday, after a year-long battle with cancer, has sent shockwaves through a sport now in its pomp.

Full tribute below:

Rock-and-roll Eddie Jordan had an Irish flamboyance which captivated F1’s paddock

Formula 1 in talks over new grand prix with Stefano Domenicali ‘impressed’ by plans

A new grand prix in Bangkok could soon come to fruition after Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali paid a visit to Thailand to discuss plans.

Domenicali travelled to the Asian country in the days following last weekend’s season opener in Australia, meeting Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

There, he heard about the nation’s ambitions to stage an inaugural F1 race on its streets.

Thailand is one of several countries eager to join an already packed calendar - but with the Dutch Grand Prix’s impending departure from the schedule in 2026, there may just be space for a new race down the line.

VIDEO: Lewis Hamilton reacts to pole

Charles Leclerc after qualifying P4:

“I struggled on my side of the garage, I felt I was a step back to Lewis - Lewis was faster today.

“Everything was quite tight, we start P4 but Lewis on pole, hopefully we can have a good race tomorrow.”

Lewis Hamilton takes swipe at Max Verstappen over radio conduct:

“Go and listen to the radio calls with others and their engineers...far worse,” Hamilton said, in his press conference ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

“The conversation that Max has with an engineer [Lambiase] over the years, the abuse that the poor guy’s taken and you never write about it, but you wrote about the smallest little discussion I had with mine.”

SPRINT QUALIFYING REPORT: Lewis Hamilton ‘gobsmacked’ after first F1 pole position for Ferrari in China

Lewis Hamilton landed his first pole position as a Ferrari driver by taking top spot for Saturday’s sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix.

The 40-year-old, in only his second appearance for the Italian giants, saw off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.018 seconds in Shanghai to ensure he will start from the front for Saturday’s 19-lap dash to the chequered flag.

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri qualified third with Hamilton’s team-mate Charles Leclerc fourth. George Russell took fifth for Mercedes, one place ahead of Lando Norris.

“I’m a bit gobsmacked and taken aback by it,” Hamilton said after his P1 time.

Full report below:

Lewis Hamilton ‘gobsmacked’ after first F1 pole position for Ferrari in China

SPRINT RACE - FULL STARTING GRID

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Max Verstappen

3. Oscar Piastri

4. Charles Leclerc

5. George Russell

6. Lando Norris

7. Kimi Antonelli

8. Yuki Tsunoda

9. Alex Albon

10. Lance Stroll

11. Fernando Alonso

12. Ollie Bearman

13. Carlos Sainz

14. Gabriel Bortoleto

15. Isack Hadjar

16. Jack Doohan

17. Pierre Gasly

18. Esteban Ocon

19. Nico Hulkenberg

20. Ollie Bearman

SPRINT RACE - FULL STARTING GRID

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Max Verstappen

3. Oscar Piastri

4. Charles Leclerc

5. George Russell

6. Lando Norris

7. Kimi Antonelli

8. Yuki Tsunoda

9. Alex Albon

10. Lance Stroll

11. Fernando Alonso

12. Ollie Bearman

13. Carlos Sainz

14. Gabriel Bortoleto

15. Isack Hadjar

16. Jack Doohan

17. Pierre Gasly

18. Esteban Ocon

19. Nico Hulkenberg

20. Ollie Bearman

Lando Norris after qualifying P6:

“I made a mistake, locked up in the last corner, we struggled a bit more - not quick enough simply, we’ve had difficulties. Too many mistakes, too difficult a car to drive.

“We’ve been struggling with the front locking. A lot more aligned with Bahrain, a lot windier, both myself and Oscar struggled a lot more. Pushing a bit hard.

“This was me trying to push a bit too much, need to back off a little bit. I think the car is in a good window, we can definitely go forward.”

VIDEO: Lando Norris's mistake on his final lap

Norris starts the sprint in P6.

He was favourite for #F1Sprint pole but a mistake at Turn 14 cost Lando 😔#F1#ChineseGPpic.twitter.com/WZa3bFgysd

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 21, 2025

SPRINT WEEKEND FORMAT

Friday: Free Practice 1; sprint qualifying (for Saturday’s sprint race)

Saturday: Sprint race (Top-eight receive points, finish order has no impact on grand prix grid); Grand Prix qualifying

Sunday: Grand Prix

How many points are on offer in the sprint race?

P1 - Eight points

P2 - Seven points

P3 - Six points

P4 - Five points

P5 - four points

P6 - three points

P7 - two points

P8 - one point

TIMELINE: Eddie Jordan’s extraordinary career from Dublin banker to F1 team owner

Former Formula One team owner Eddie Jordan has died aged 76, his family have announced.

The Irishman revealed in December he was suffering with bladder and prostate cancer which had spread to his spine and pelvis.

A family statement, published by rugby club London Irish where Jordan was a patron, said he “passed away peacefully with family by his side in Cape Town” on Thursday.

Eddie Jordan’s extraordinary career from Dublin banker to F1 team owner

Lewis Hamilton:

“My first sector was really strong, little increments through the whole place. Still time to find. It’s amazing the No 1 as you stop in the red car, pretty incredible!

“The McLarens are very fast, as is Max, but we’re in a good position.”

Lovely scene at the end too as he embraces his dad Anthony!

Max Verstappen after P2:

“I’m very happy, I do think in the first practice we were quite a bit off, happy to be on the front row.

“We should not have even been on the front row, very happy to be second.

“The balance isn’t massively off, this is good for us and a motivation boost for us.

“I was happy with what I was doing in qualifying. It will be very hard to keep the McLarens behind, we can all race.”

TRIBUTE: Rock-and-roll Eddie Jordan gave Schumacher his debut – and his flamboyance captivated F1’s paddock

An old-school Irishman of quick wit and vibrancy, Eddie Jordan was a Formula One figure whose influence touched every corner of motorsport’s most-famed paddock throughout a career in the sport lasting over 30 years.

From a promising race driver and savvy team owner to a captivating broadcaster and erudite manager, Jordan’s sad passing at the age of 76 on Thursday, after a year-long battle with cancer, has sent shockwaves through a sport now in its pomp.

Full tribute below:

Rock-and-roll Eddie Jordan had an Irish flamboyance which captivated F1’s paddock

Lewis Hamilton's pole-setting lap in full:

Back on top 🤩

Ride onboard with @LewisHamilton as he flies around the Shanghai International Circuit on his way to #F1Sprint pole 💪#F1#ChineseGPpic.twitter.com/4TBWH7QjHS

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 21, 2025

Driver Standings after round one:

1. Lando Norris - 25 points

2. Max Verstappen - 18 points

3. George Russell - 15 points

4. Kimi Antonelli - 12 points

5. Alex Albon - 10 points

6. Lance Stroll - 8 points

7. Nico Hulkenberg - 6 points

8. Charles Leclerc - 4 points

9. Oscar Piastri - 2 points

10. Lewis Hamilton - 1 point

11. Pierre Gasly - 0 points

12. Yuki Tsunoda - 0 points

14. Ollie Bearman - 0 points

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur after sprint qualifying:

“We are clearly happy with this afternoon’s result. After a difficult qualifying last week in Australia, today’s performance is a boost for the whole team and is definitely very positive, also for Lewis who has been quick throughout the whole day, quickest in SQ1 too.

“Charles was also competitive and with both cars on the front two rows we can aim to bring home plenty of points tomorrow. Clearly the McLarens have great pace both on a single lap and over a longer run.

“We must remain focused and plan how to execute the race down to the smallest detail as tomorrow’s Sprint will provide useful information for Sunday’s Grand Prix.”

Lewis Hamilton on X:

YUP pic.twitter.com/1KCKPforBG

— Lewis Hamilton (@LewisHamilton) March 21, 2025

Kimi Antonelli on P7:

“On softs, I really struggled, grip was poor. The tyres were too cold, struggled through the whole lap. A better qualifying than Melbourne, we’ll see what we can do tomorrow.

“On medium, was feeling really good.”

George Russell after qualifying P5:

“Pretty happy with the lap in Q3, well done to Lewis to get pole, that’s a great lap.

“P5 is where we are today. We always know it’s tricky with the tyres. Today we did OK.

“It was a surprise with McLaren. We’ve got a shot in the sprint, could be an interesting race.”

Liam Lawson after qualifying P20...

“I struggled to get the temperatures down, started too hot - it’s frustrating.

“It’s really a shame, we started OK. It’s a shame to be out. We should be a lot further up.”

What are the start times this weekend in China?

All times GMT

Saturday 22 March

• Sprint race: 3am
• Qualifying: 7am

Sunday 23 March

• Race: 7am

Oscar Piastri in P3!

“Quick at the wrong points, SQ1 and SQ2 felt good - we tried something a bit different but I’m not sure was the best thing in the end, the pace in the car is still very strong - we can fight tomorrow.”

Lewis Hamilton on first Ferrari pole:

“I’m a bit gobsmacked and taken aback by it. Didn’t know when we’d get to this position.

“After last weekend, a difficult start to the week. Wanted to go into the weekend with aggression, I had a better feeling in the car - can’t believe we’re at the front!

“I’ve always gone well at this track, maybe it’s the Chinese fans! Definitely wasn’t easy with the tyres, there’s more performance to find for sure.”

San Diego = P1!

Lewis Hamilton’s reaction to pole!

Lewis Hamilton's reaction to his pole position in the Sprint Qualifying!#F1#F1Sprint#ChineseGPpic.twitter.com/Mob3r6PaiA

— Extreme Cars (@extremecars__) March 21, 2025

TOP-10 IN SPRINT QUALIFYING:

1. Lewis Hamilton

2. Max Verstappen

3. Oscar Piastri

4. Charles Leclerc

5. George Russell

6. Lando Norris

7. Kimi Antonelli

8. Yuki Tsunoda

9. Alex Albon

10. Lance Stroll

Lando Norris went wide at penultimate turn!

Norris looked good for pole - but he went wide off-track at the end of the back straight!

So... just P6 for the championship leader!

Lewis Hamilton - lap record!

Incidentally, Lewis Hamilton’s pole-setting time of 1:30:849 is now a lap record around the Shanghai International Circuit!

A newly resurfaced track meant a new record was inevitable post-quali - but it’s Hamilton who’s got it!

What a morning for the 40-year-old!

Lewis Hamilton on pole:

“Big thank you to the amazing crowd today! I didn’t expect that result, so happy and so proud! The last race was a disaster for us, to come here to a track that I love - Shanghai beautiful place, the car came alive from lap one!

“I’m a bit in shock, pole in the sprint puts us in good stead for the race!”

Lewis Hamilton!

“Really! Mega job!”

Lewis Hamilton on pole for the sprint!

Lewis Hamilton - welcome to the Ferrari party!

Hamilton is on pole for the sprint - by 0.018 seconds to Max Verstappen!

3-10: Piastri, Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Albon, Stroll

Norris made an error on his final lap as he boxed! But what a moment for Hamilton in Shanghai - his first pole for Ferrari!

Lewis Hamilton goes P1!

Hamilton goes fastest - but the McLarens go again!

Leclerc P3...

Oscar Piastri on provisional pole!

Piastri goes top with a 1:30:929 - five-tenths quicker than Lando Norris, who made a error in the final sector!

Russell 2nd, Norris 3rd, Antonelli 4th.

Other drivers yet to set a time... where are Ferrari then?!

4:00 to go...

SQ3 underway!

Here we go then - who will be on pole for the sprint?!

10 drivers involved: Norris, Piastri, Hamilton, Leclerc, Verstappen, Stroll, Tsunoda, Albon, Russell, Antonelli

8:00. All on softs. No messing about!

Carlos Sainz out!

Sainz out, Albon IN!

Bottom-five and out in SQ2 (11-15): Alonso, Bearman, Sainz, Bortoleto, Hadjar

Yuki Tsunoda squeezes through! Lance Stroll also through!

Top-3: Norris, Russell, Piastri

Fernando Alonso in trouble!

Current bottom-five (11-15): Sainz, Stroll, Albon, Alonso, Bearman

2:00 LEFT!

George Russell:

“Tyres aren’t working, both axles.”

SQ2 underway!

10 minutes then for SQ2, where again we will lose the slowest five drivers!

Liam Lawson out in SQ1!

Oh Liam!

Plum last for the Kiwi!

“I could not keep the tyres down,” he says. Nightmare for the Red Bull driver!

Bottom five and out in SQ1 (16-20): Doohan, Gasly, Ocon, Hulkenberg, Lawson

Hamilton P1 at the end there! Onto SQ2...

Carlos Sainz in trouble!

Current bottom-five (16-20): Tsunoda, Sainz, Bearman, Bortoleto, Ocon

2:00 left!

Oscar Piastri quickest so far!

Piastri fastest by half-a-second!

Alonso 2nd, Hamilton 3rd.

Current bottom-five (16-20): Sainz, Bearman, Bortoleto, Ocon, Russell

6:00 left. A reminder: they’re all on medium tyres in this session!

Sprint qualifying underway!

Here we go then with SQ1 - 12 minutes where we will lose the slowest five drivers!

This will be quickfire, with a huge queue at the end of the pit-lane ahead of the start of this session!

Sprint qualifying!

Sprint qualifying will follow the same Q1-Q2-Q3 format as qualifying but the session times will be shorter than traditional qualifying:

SQ1 (medium tyres) will be 12 minutes, SQ2 (medium tyres) will be 10 minutes and SQ3 (soft tyres) will be eight minutes.

Who will be on pole for the sprint?! We’ll find out in five minutes!

SPRINT WEEKEND FORMAT

Friday: Free Practice 1; sprint qualifying (for Saturday’s sprint race)

Saturday: Sprint race (Top-eight receive points, finish order has no impact on grand prix grid); Grand Prix qualifying

Sunday: Grand Prix

How many points are on offer in the sprint race?

P1 - Eight points

P2 - Seven points

P3 - Six points

P4 - Five points

P5 - four points

P6 - three points

P7 - two points

P8 - one point

Charles Leclerc had a spin in FP1!

Testing the limits at Turn 1

Charles Leclerc spins off during FP1 😵‍💫#F1#ChineseGPpic.twitter.com/3E3DUsbY8F

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 21, 2025

FP1 RESULTS - Norris goes fastest

Here's how FP1 finished in Shanghai ⤵️#F1#ChineseGPpic.twitter.com/kRUy1yd48B

— Formula 1 (@F1) March 21, 2025

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website