In a surprising turn at the Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari during the sprint qualifying session, narrowly edging out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by 0.018 seconds. This achievement comes on the heels of a challenging debut for Hamilton with Ferrari in Australia, where he finished tenth.
Despite the positive outcome, Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, exercised caution regarding the team’s performance. He acknowledged the improvement from the previous race but emphasized the need for continued development, noting the fluctuating performance gaps between sessions. Vasseur highlighted that while the sprint pole is a morale booster, the team must focus on maintaining consistency throughout the weekend to capitalize on potential points.
Hamilton expressed his astonishment at the pole position, describing himself as “gobsmacked” by the result. He credited the team’s hard work and the improvements made to the car since the last race. Hamilton also acknowledged the challenges ahead, stating that while the sprint pole is encouraging, the main race will require further efforts to secure a strong finish.
The sprint race, consisting of 19 laps, is scheduled for Saturday and offers championship points to the top eight finishers. McLaren, despite showing strong pace, faced setbacks during qualifying, with Lando Norris making a mistake that relegated him to sixth position. Oscar Piastri, however, secured third place, indicating that McLaren remains a formidable competitor.
As the weekend unfolds, all eyes will be on Ferrari and Hamilton to see if they can translate this sprint pole into a successful race performance, while competitors like McLaren and Red Bull aim to challenge their resurgence.
