Hamilton’s Resurgence: A Stunning Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton delivered a spectacular performance in Sprint qualifying for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, securing his first pole position with Ferrari. His blistering lap time of 1:30.849, a new Shanghai International Circuit record, edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, setting the stage for an electrifying Sprint race.
SQ1: Early Battles and Lawson’s Misfortune: Verstappen initially set the pace in SQ1, but Hamilton quickly responded, taking the top spot. Piastri, however, stole the show with a lap of 1:31.723, half a second faster than Hamilton. Lando Norris, after a shaky start, recovered to lead the session, but Hamilton ultimately prevailed. Liam Lawson’s qualifying ended in disappointment as his lap time was deleted due to track limits, relegating him to last place. Jack Doohan, Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Nico Hülkenberg were also eliminated.
SQ2: Norris Leads, Antonelli Shines: Norris set the pace in SQ2, with Piastri and Verstappen close behind. George Russell and Hamilton improved on their times, with rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli impressing by splitting the frontrunners. Fernando Alonso narrowly missed out on a spot in SQ3, while Oliver Bearman, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Isack Hadjar were also eliminated.
SQ3: Hamilton’s Heroics and Verstappen’s Near Miss: In the final shootout, Piastri initially grabbed provisional pole, but Hamilton unleashed a stunning lap to take pole position. Verstappen came agonizingly close, finishing just 0.018 seconds behind. Piastri secured third, followed by Charles Leclerc. Norris, after a lock-up, finished sixth. Antonelli continued his strong performance, qualifying seventh.
Key Highlights:
- Lewis Hamilton takes Sprint pole position with a new lap record.
- Max Verstappen qualifies second, just 0.018 seconds behind Hamilton.
- Oscar Piastri qualifies third.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli impresses with a seventh-place qualifying.
- Liam Lawson’s lap time is deleted, leading to his elimination in SQ1.
- Hamiltons pole position is his first sprint pole with Ferrari.
| Pos | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | 1:30.849 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | +0.018 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | +0.080 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | +0.208 |
| 5 | George Russell | +0.320 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | +0.544 |
| 7 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | +0.889 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | +0.924 |
| 9 | Alexander Albon | +1.003 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | +1.133 |
| 11 | Fernando Alonso | – – |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | – – |
| 13 | Carlos Sainz | – – |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | – – |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar | – – |
| 16 | Jack Doohan | – – |
| 17 | Pierre Gasly | – – |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | – – |
| 19 | Nico Hulkenberg | – – |
| 20 | Liam Lawson | – – |
Disclaimer: Qualifying results reflect the session as described and are subject to official FIA confirmation.
