Lewis Hamilton Secures Pole Position in Sprint Qualifying at Chinese GP
Lewis Hamilton secured pole position during the Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, recording a new lap record of 1m 30.849s. He edged out Max Verstappen by 0.018s, with Oscar Piastri closely following in third. George Russell placed fifth, while Lando Norris had an off-session, finishing sixth. Despite difficulties faced by other drivers, Hamilton’s performance was a significant highlight of the event.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari showcased exceptional skill during Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, clinching pole position over rivals Max Verstappen from Red Bull and Oscar Piastri of McLaren. Hamilton set a remarkable time of 1m 30.849s, achieving a new lap record on the Shanghai International Circuit. His win was by a mere 0.018s ahead of Verstappen and included a strong showing from Charles Leclerc of Ferrari, who finished closely behind.
George Russell represented Mercedes by securing fifth place, capitalizing on a mistake from Lando Norris. Norris had exhibited impressive speed initially but faltered during his crucial SQ3 laps, ultimately placing sixth. Kimi Antonelli followed closely behind Russell, while Yuki Tsunoda, Alex Albon, and Lance Stroll completed the top ten. Notably, Fernando Alonso narrowly missed advancing to SQ3, and Ollie Bearman significantly improved from his previous outing, finishing 12th with his Haas car.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson of Red Bull faced challenges, exiting SQ1 after losing his final lap time due to exceeding track limits. Lawson’s struggles mirrored earlier difficulties from the season opener, resulting in him starting at the back of the grid. Alpine’s performance was disappointing as both drivers, Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly, were eliminated early, finishing P16 and P17 respectively, alongside Lawson.
In the first session, Hamilton excelled with a top time of 1m 31.212s, surpassing Norris and Leclerc. He led SQ1 while Lawson’s track limit infringement ended his hopes early. During SQ2, Norris held the fastest lap until Albon’s last-minute effort secured him a spot in the final session, while Alonso and Bearman faced unfortunate misfortunes.
The concluding segment, SQ3, began with Piastri setting an early pace, but Hamilton’s astonishing lap ensured he remained on top. Despite pressure from Verstappen, who recorded a strong time, Hamilton maintained the lead through the end of SQ3, securing his prominent start. The final standings saw Piastri and Leclerc completing the top four, with Russell in fifth place.
Hamilton expressed gratitude to the Shanghai crowd, remarking, “I didn’t expect that result but I’m so, so happy and so proud. I think the last race was a disaster for us, and clearly we knew that there was more performance in the car, but we just weren’t able to extract it,” reflecting on the team’s preparation and adjustments that led to this success. The drivers will prepare for the Sprint event, scheduled to begin at 1100 local time on Saturday.
In summary, Lewis Hamilton’s pole position during the Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix underscored his competitive prowess, stunning both fans and rivals alike. With tight competition from Verstappen and Piastri, Hamilton’s record-setting lap was a notable achievement. As the drivers move into the Sprint event, Hamilton’s performance positions him favorably for future races, highlighting the importance of team strategy and preparation.
Original Source: www.formula1.com
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