Lewis Hamilton delivered a breathtaking performance to claim pole position in the Sprint Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, marking his first pole as a Ferrari driver and silencing doubters after a lackluster debut with the team. The seven-time world champion edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by a razor-thin margin of 0.018 seconds, setting a new lap record of 1m 30.849s around the Shanghai International Circuit on Friday afternoon.
Hamilton’s triumph comes just days after a disappointing 10th-place finish at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where he struggled to adapt to Ferrari’s SF-25 in mixed conditions. However, in Shanghai—a track where he has historically excelled, with six grand prix victories and six poles—the 40-year-old Briton rediscovered his magic touch. “I’m a bit in shock,” Hamilton admitted post-session. “After last weekend, it was a difficult start, but I came here with aggression, wanting to get the car into a great place. It came alive from Lap 1.”
The session, the first Sprint Qualifying of the 2025 season, unfolded under sunny skies, with the medium Pirelli tires mandatory for SQ1 and SQ2 before switching to softs for the decisive SQ3 shootout. McLaren had been tipped as favorites after Lando Norris topped free practice by nearly half a second earlier in the day, but Hamilton and Verstappen turned the tables in the final moments. Oscar Piastri secured third for McLaren, just 0.080 seconds off Hamilton’s pace, while Norris faltered with mistakes on both SQ3 laps, settling for sixth behind Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell.
“To come to a track I love, with this amazing crowd, and see the car perform like this—it’s incredible,” Hamilton said, standing atop his red Ferrari to roars from the stands. “The team did a fantastic job over the break to unlock the performance we knew was there.” His father, Anthony Hamilton, was on hand to celebrate the milestone, sharing an emotional embrace in the pit lane.
Verstappen, the reigning champion, was gracious in defeat, admitting the result was closer than expected. “It’s a motivation boost,” he said. “We’re right there, and tomorrow’s Sprint will be exciting.” Meanwhile, at the other end of the grid, Verstappen’s new Red Bull teammate, Liam Lawson, endured a nightmare session, qualifying last after struggling to get his tires up to temperature.
For Ferrari, Hamilton’s pole is a much-needed shot in the arm after a lackluster Melbourne outing. Leclerc, who finished fourth, 0.208 seconds behind his teammate, acknowledged Hamilton’s edge: “He was just faster today. I struggled a bit from the start.” The result signals a potential turnaround for the Scuderia, who had promised more pace was lurking in their car.
McLaren’s slip in SQ3 was a surprise after their dominance in Australia, where Norris claimed victory. “Too many mistakes,” Norris lamented. “The car’s quick, but it’s tough to drive on the limit.” Piastri, however, remained optimistic: “The pace is still strong. We’ll fight back tomorrow.”
The Sprint race, set for Saturday at 11:00 local time, will see Hamilton lead the field over 19 laps, with eight points up for grabs for the winner. With Verstappen breathing down his neck and the McLarens eager to rebound, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown. Later that day, qualifying for Sunday’s main Grand Prix will determine the full race grid, offering Hamilton a chance to double down on his Shanghai resurgence.