Lewis Hamilton left “gobsmacked” after securing a thrilling pole position for the first time as a Ferrari driver in China’s Sprint Qualifying. The seven-time World Champion edged out Max Verstappen by 0.018s, setting a lap record time of 1m 30.849s.
Hamilton bounced back from a difficult start to the weekend in Australia, where he fell short of teammate Charles Leclerc in the season opener. However, he seized the advantage in Shanghai’s conditions, which mirrored both Qualifying and the Grand Prix, to take top spot on the grid ahead of favored McLaren.
Piastri took third place in SQ3, while Lando Norris struggled, making a mistake on his first lap before abandoning the second. Hamilton praised his car’s improvement throughout the session, citing a strong first sector as the key to his success.
This is only the second time Hamilton will start from pole position, having achieved it previously at Silverstone in 2021. He expressed confidence that his team can hold onto the lead during the Sprint itself, but acknowledged the challenge posed by McLaren’s speed and Verstappen’s abilities.
Source: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/hamilton-left-gobsmacked-after-incredible-sprint-qualifying-pole-in-china.6mgXcaTwLr7iWMsTbN3UNc