Lewis Hamilton really put in a stunning performance, grabbing pole position for Ferrari and setting a new lap record in the process. It was a late charge in the final part of qualifying that saw him just edge out Max Verstappen in the Red Bull. After Verstappen felt his car wasn’t quite perfect in practice, this front-row lockout certainly sets the stage nicely for the Sprint race.
McLaren, who many had tipped as being the ones to beat after their strong showing in Australia, demonstrated their pace with Oscar Piastri qualifying in third. However, a mistake from Lando Norris meant he ended up further down the order in sixth. They’ll no doubt be looking to make up ground in the Sprint.
Mercedes also showed a decent turn of speed, with George Russell securing fifth place. It was a particularly noteworthy session for rookie Kimi Antonelli, who impressed on his F1 debut by qualifying in seventh.
Here’s a rundown of how each team and their drivers shaped up in Sprint Qualifying, with our ratings:
Team Ratings:
Ferrari (9/10): A brilliant outcome with Hamilton on pole and Leclerc in fourth.
Red Bull Racing (8/10): Verstappen on the front row is a good result, but Lawson’s early exit wasn’t ideal.
McLaren (7/10): Piastri’s third highlights their potential, but Norris will be kicking himself for his mistake.
Mercedes (6/10): Solid pace from both drivers, and Antonelli’s debut was a definite positive.
Racing Bulls (5/10): Tsunoda making it into the top ten is a reasonable effort.
Williams (5/10): Albon managed to get into the final qualifying segment.
Aston Martin (4/10): Stroll in the top ten, but Alonso being knocked out earlier will be a disappointment.
Haas F1 Team (3/10): Both drivers were eliminated before the final part of qualifying.
Sauber (2/10): Neither driver made it out of the first qualifying segment.
Alpine (2/10): Both drivers were knocked out in the first part of qualifying.
Driver Ratings:
Lewis Hamilton (10/10): Absolutely sensational lap for pole position and a new track record.
Max Verstappen (9/10): A close second after feeling they had work to do after practice.
Oscar Piastri (8/10): A strong third-place start.
Charles Leclerc (7/10): A solid fourth, but perhaps would have hoped to be closer to his teammate.
George Russell (7/10): A decent fifth, despite reporting some issues with grip.
Lando Norris (6/10): Clearly had the pace but made a costly error.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli (7/10): A very impressive seventh on his first F1 qualifying.
Yuki Tsunoda (7/10): A good effort to get into the top ten.
Alexander Albon (6/10): Made it into the top ten for the Sprint race.
Lance Stroll (6/10): Just managed to get into the top ten.
Fernando Alonso (5/10): Will be disappointed to have been knocked out in the second qualifying segment.
Oliver Bearman (5/10): Didn’t make it out of the second qualifying segment.
Carlos Sainz (4/10): Will be hoping for better in the Sprint and Grand Prix after being eliminated in the second segment.
Gabriel Bortoleto (4/10): Knocked out in the second qualifying segment.
Isack Hadjar (N/A): Didn’t set a time in the second qualifying segment.
Jack Doohan (3/10): Early exit in the first qualifying segment.
Pierre Gasly (3/10): Failed to progress from the first qualifying segment.
Esteban Ocon (3/10): Knocked out in the first part of qualifying.
Nico Hulkenberg (3/10): A surprising early exit given his past performances here.
Liam Lawson (2/10): A tough session, ending up slowest in the first qualifying segment.
Looking ahead to the Sprint race, it’s all set up for an exciting battle between Hamilton and Verstappen. The McLarens will be keen to recover lost ground, and Mercedes will be aiming to capitalise on their solid starting positions. With the Shanghai circuit known for its long straights and demanding corners, we could well see some surprises unfold. The weather looks like it should remain dry, so we should be in for some good racing.
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:30.849 |
| 2 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | +0.018 |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | +0.080 |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +0.208 |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes | +0.320 |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +0.544 |
| 7 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +0.889 |
| 8 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | +0.924 |
| 9 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +1.003 |
| 10 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +1.133 |
| 11 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:31.815 |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 1:31.978 |
| 13 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:32.325 |
| 14 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Sauber | 1:32.564 |
| 15 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | no time |
| 16 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 1:32.575 |
| 17 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:32.640 |
| 18 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:32.651 |
| 19 | Nico Hulkenberg | Sauber | 1:32.675 |
| 20 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull Racing | 1:32.729 |
