Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has earned a surprise pole for the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint race.
After last week's 10th-placed finish in the Australian Grand Prix, the seven-time world champion was downbeat on making an immediate impact at Ferrari.
Five days on from claiming a solitary point in Melbourne and the 40-year-old is celebrating being quickest in Friday's qualifying for Saturday's Sprint, the first of the shorter format in 2025.
Hamilton finished just 0.018 seconds ahead of the Red Bull of Max Verstappen, setting up a tantalising front row involving the two great rivals.
The top five were separated by just over three tenths of a second with Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and George Russell next down the grid and Championship leader Lando Norris only in sixth.
#F1SPRINT CLASSIFICATION
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 21, 2025
Hamilton pips Verstappen by fractions 🤏#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/rWBZGXiQgd
What did Hamilton have to say?
Speaking immediately after achieving just the second Sprint pole of his career, Hamilton admitted that he was "in shock" at delivering first place on the grid for Ferrari at this stage of the season.
Hamilton said: "So, so happy and proud. The last race was a disaster for us, and clearly we knew there was more performance in the car but we just weren't able to extract it.
"To come here to a track that I love; Shanghai, beautiful place, and the weather has been amazing and the car really came alive from lap one.
"We made some great changes, the team did a fantastic job through the break to get the car ready. I'm a bit in shock. I can't believe we got a pole in a sprint.
"It's not the main race, we've still got work to do for tomorrow but it puts us in good stead for the race."
How did Verstappen, Norris react?
"I'm very happy to be second!" 😊
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 21, 2025
Max Verstappen is pleased to be on the front row for tomorrow's Sprint Race 🔥 pic.twitter.com/AQDWg0MjPJ
"Too many mistakes, but just too difficult of a car to drive" ❌
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 21, 2025
Lando Norris reacts to Sprint Qualifying 🤔 pic.twitter.com/nOw1Ru816b
After Saturday's Sprint race, where Verstappen will be looking to cut Norris's early seven-point advantage in the Drivers Championship, qualifying takes place for Sunday's Grand Prix.
Darren Plant
