Lewis Hamilton admitted to being “gobsmacked” after claiming Sprint pole for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix.
After a huge amount of hype following his departure from Mercedes after 12 years, Hamilton endured a hugely-disappointing Ferrari debut in Australia last weekend as he finished the race 10th.
His performance – and McLaren’s apparent advantage over the rest of the field – had reset expectations going into the first Sprint event of the season in Shanghai, but Hamilton stunned his rivals with a superb lap to take his first pole for Ferrari.
“I’m just a bit gobsmacked, taken back by it. I didn’t know when we would get to this position,” Hamilton said.
“After last weekend, it was a difficult start to the week. We came here with aggression and wanting to go into the weekend and get the car into a great place.
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Lewis Hamilton claims pole position for the first Sprint of the season at the Chinese GP
“I started out straight away with a better feeling in the car. I can’t believe we are at the front, ahead of a McLaren which has been so fast throughout winter testing, Australia and even today.
“I’m really grateful to be up there with these great drivers and be so close to all these other teams.”
Hamilton will be joined on the front row for Saturday’s Sprint by his old adversary Max Verstappen, who also took advantage of McLaren’s sudden drop-off to take second for Red Bull.
Oscar Piastri is the lead McLaren in third, while Melbourne winner Lando Norris could only manage sixth.
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Ride onboard with Lewis Hamilton as he took a sensational pole for the Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix
Hamilton impressively out-performed his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who was fourth, while the seven-time world champion’s former Mercedes team-mate George Russell took fifth.
Hamilton added: “I didn’t expect that result but I’m so happy and so proud.
“The last race was a disaster for us and we knew there was more performance in the car but wasn’t able to extract it.
“To come here to a track I love, Shanghai a beautiful place, the weather has been amazing and the car came alive from lap one.
“We made some great changes, the team did a fantastic job in the break to get the car ready.
“I’m a bit in shock. I can’t believe we get a pole for the Sprint. It puts us in good stead for the race.”
Hamilton hopeful of ‘holding on’ in Sprint
While Hamilton was able to trump the McLarens when it mattered most, the reigning constructors’ champions were still able to produce impressive pace during their longer runs in the practice session that preceded Sprint Qualifying.
They could therefore still pose a major threat, while Verstappen will sense an opportunity to strike from his position.
Hamilton goes in with limited long-run experience in the SF-25 having suffered a technical issue at pre-season testing and experienced a chaotic wet-weather race in Australia.
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Sprint Qualifying highlights of the Chinese Grand Prix from the Shanghai International Circuit
He said: “I didn’t do a race run in Bahrain testing, we did the race last weekend in the wet but tomorrow will be my first real long-ish race run, then Sunday my first proper race run in the dry with this car.
“I’m hoping we can hold onto it, but I think the McLarens are very fast, as is Max.
“But we are in a good position, we will stay positive and keep our heads high, and keep pushing forwards.”
‘Hamilton has justified his move’
Sky Sports F1’s Karun Chandhok said that Friday’s result has gone some way to justifying Hamilton’s move to Ferrari.
“What a story! Lewis Hamilton is on pole,” Chandhok said. “We didn’t get a fairytale moment in Melbourne but we only had to wait six days.
“He’s hugely popular with the fans in China, as he is everywhere else.
“It’s justified his move in some ways. He’s re-energised, re-invigorated, re-motivated but most importantly he’s delivered on the timesheets today.”
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Lewis Hamilton has hit back at those who criticised his radio exchanges with Ferrari race engineer Riccardo Adami and says that his communication will get stronger ‘race to race’
Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle believed Hamilton’s – and Verstappen’s – experience showed in SQ3 as the pair were able to get their tyres in the perfect operating window.
“You could see straight away in the first four turns, Hamilton had it on point,” Brundle said.
“The car was really stable and he was hustling the throttle and he got the tyres, pressures and temperatures absolutely in the window, so did Max.
“Max’s experience comes through again. Championship leader Norris down in sixth and that’s not where he needs to be.”
Sky Sports F1’s live Chinese GP schedule
Saturday March 22
- 2.25am: Chinese GP Sprint build-up*
- 3am: Chinese GP Sprint*
- 5.45am: F1 Academy Race 1*
- 6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifying build-up*
- 7am: CHINESE GP QUALIFYING*
- 9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook*
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As the Chinese Grand Prix hosts the first of the six Sprints this season, Simon Lazenby explains why this format is so crucial
Sunday March 23
- 2.40am: F1 Academy Race 2
- 5.30am: Chinese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday*
- 7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX*
- 9am: Chinese GP reaction: Chequered flag*
- 10am: Ted’s Notebook*
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
Formula 1 is in Shanghai this week for the first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime
