Chinese Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton Sets Lap Record In Shanghai For Sprint Race

 

Even as his debut with Ferrari did not go as intended, Lewis Hamilton has bounced back from a slow start to the season, notching the pole in the Sprint qualifying session at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. 

Hamilton posted the fastest lap in Shanghai history in 1:30.849s in the SQ3. He started off setting the benchmark lap for the SQ1 in P1 and missed out on following that stead in SQ2 which Lando Norris won in P1. 

Max Verstappen found his pace in the SQ3 - he was low in the profile in the earlier sessions - and missed out on offsetting the lap set by Hamilton by 0.020s to finish in P2 for Red Bull. McLaren's Oscar Piastri set the benchmark in the provisional pole in 1:30.929s before Hamilton edged him out to take the pole. 

Hamilton will be the pole sitter for the season's first Sprint race in a quest for his first F1 Championship title since 2020. He won his last championship title for Mercedes, which he left last season to join his new team. It will be his first Sprint pole for Ferrari. 

McLaren's Lando Norris presently leads the season's F1 standings with 25 points followed by Verstappen in second. However, Hamilton does stand a chance to contend for the title. Ferrari won their last F1 title with retired driver, Sebastian Vettel in 2007. The following year,  Hamilton won his first championship with McLaren.