By Joe Cash
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Lewis Hamilton smashed the Shanghai circuit lap record on his way to a stunning first sprint race pole for Ferrari in China on Friday, with Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen alongside on the front row.
The seven times world champion produced a best time of one minute 30.849 seconds with last year’s winner Verstappen a mere 0.018 slower in the first sprint race qualifying of the Formula One season.
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri qualified third with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc fourth, Mercedes’ George Russell fifth and McLaren’s championship leader Lando Norris sixth.
The sprint pole was Hamilton’s first of any sort since joining Ferrari from Mercedes and marked a remarkable turnaround from finishing 10th in a disappointing season-opener in Australia last weekend.
“I didn’t expect that result but I’m so happy and so proud,” said the 40-year-old.
“The last race was a disaster for us and we knew there was more performance in the car but weren’t able to extract it. I’m a bit in shock.”
Verstappen said second was a morale boost for the team but expected it would be hard to keep the McLarens behind even over a reduced distance.
“I’m very happy. In practice, we were quite a bit off so I’m very happy to be on the front row,” he added.
Norris had looked set for a fast time but made a mistake and ran wide, forcing the Briton to abort his lap.
“I locked up in the last corner. We just struggled a bit more now, just not quick enough, simply. Struggled a lot with the car,” he said.
“When the wind’s blowing then we struggle a lot more….I think the car is still good and in a good window. Maybe not good enough for pole, but we can definitely go forward.”
Italian rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli will start seventh, ahead of Racing Bulls’ Yuki Tsunoda, Williams’ Alex Albon and Lance Stroll for Aston Martin.
British rookie Oliver Bearman made a strong return for Haas after an error-strewn opener in Melbourne and will line up 12th on Saturday’s grid and ahead of Williams’ Carlos Sainz in 13th.
The same could not be said for Red Bull’s Liam Lawson, whose difficult start as Verstappen’s new teammate continued with last on the sprint grid and complaining he could not get the tyres working.
Neither of the Alpines made it through the first phase of qualifying, with Frenchman Pierre Gasly lining up 17th and Australian rookie Jack Doohan 16th.
(Writing by Alan Baldwin in London; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Kate Mayberry)
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