Sprint Qualifying in China: Lewis Hamilton Claims His First Pole in Red! Verstappen a Close Second by Just 18 Thousandths, Piastri Third, Leclerc Fourth, Norris Only Sixth
Following the first free practice session overnight, the Shanghai circuit hosts the first Sprint weekend of the 2025 season—one of six scheduled—and the second round of the World Championship. Stay tuned for the LIVE coverage!
Q3 recap- Sprint Qualifying
The session kicks off with all drivers on soft tires! Piastri sets a blistering purple lap with 1:30.929, followed closely by Russell, just two-tenths behind. Norris slots into third despite a mistake, while young Kimi Antonelli also makes an error but still delivers a competitive lap. Now it’s Ferrari and Verstappen’s turn!
Hamilton leads! Verstappen so close at 0.0018s, Piastri third WHAT A LAP FOR LEWIS AND MAX! Leclerc in fourth two tenths away, Russell in fifth and Norris sixth
THIS IS THE FINAL ORDER:
- HAMILTON, 1:30:849
- Verstappen, 1:30:867
- Piastri, 1:30:929
- Leclerc, 1:31:057
- Russell, 1:31:169
- Norris, 1:31:393
- Antonelli, 1:31:738
- Tsunoda, 1:31:773
- Albon, 1:31:852
- Stroll, 1:31:982
Q2 Recap
Drivers head out on medium tires. Lando Norris sets the early benchmark with 1:31.174, four-tenths ahead of Verstappen. Ferrari, strong in Q1, starts cautiously in Q2, with Hamilton in third, nearly a second behind. Leclerc aborts his lap attempt. Piastri then jumps to second, just 188 thousandths behind his McLaren teammate. Meanwhile, Leclerc finishes only fifth, nine-tenths off the pace.
Eliminated: Alonso, Bearman, Sainz, Bortoleto, and Hadjar. A standout performance from Yuki Tsunoda, along with Russell and Antonelli, who both advance.
Q1 Recap – Sprint Qualifying
As per regulations, all drivers start on medium tires. Verstappen is first to set a time with 1:32.329, but Ferrari responds immediately, with Hamilton and Leclerc going faster by a tenth. Norris matches the Ferrari duo to the thousandth, but Oscar Piastri shakes things up with an incredible 1:31.723. A sensational lap from the Australian, who surprisingly tops the session, followed by a remarkable Fernando Alonso in second place with Aston Martin, just three-tenths behind the McLaren.
Meanwhile, Red Bull suffers a major setback, with Liam Lawson finishing a shocking P20. A disastrous weekend for the New Zealander, who appears to be almost a second slower than Verstappen. Also eliminated are the two Alpines—Doohan (P16) and Gasly (P17)—along with Ocon and Hülkenberg.
What’s Next? The Sprint Race is set for tomorrow at 04:00, while Qualifying for the Grand Prix will take place at 08:00. Stay tuned for more action from Shanghai!
Photo: McLaren, Scuderia Ferrari HP
