Chinese Grand Prix: Piastri on pole in Shanghai, Hamilton hails ‘really special’ sprint win
Oscar Piastri storms to front of grid for Sunday’s race, ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton claims first win for Ferrari
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of George Russell’s Mercedes on Saturday.
The second row for Sunday’s race will be filled by Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris and world champion Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton fifth after he won the sprint race for his maiden Ferrari victory.
Piastri’s pole is the first of his career for the main event, and he set the fastest lap so far at Shanghai International Circuit.
“In Q3 I just found a lot of pace, in Q1 and Q2 I was genuinely struggling but the car just came alive in Q3 and I came alive,” the Australian, who had sprint poles before, said.
“I’m happy with what I did in the end, the laps were still a bit scruffy but I’m just pumped to be on pole.”
Charles Leclerc, in the other Ferrari was sixth, while French rookie Isack Hadjar qualified seventh for Racing Bulls, a strong response to his nightmare debut in Melbourne, with Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli eighth and Yuki Tsunoda ninth for Racing Bulls. Alex Albon completed the top 10 in a Williams.