Oscar Piastri took a sensational first pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix after a stunning qualifying performance.
After the dramatic sprint race that saw Lewis Hamilton take his first win in red, attention turned to qualifying.
Questions remained as to over whether McLaren could find their searing Australian pace again. Ferrari also now had a new lease of life, and planned to take victory in Sunday’s race.
Wind and tyre degradation became the day’s talking point in the sprint. All teams where keeping a close eye on if this would resurface during qualifying.
Q1
After the first runs, there were no big games in the bottom five. Liam Lawson’s trying weekend continued, as his first lap time was deleted.
For the final runs, the midfield went out on new soft tyres. Lawson once again ruined his lap and will start the race from the back row.
Charles Leclerc had a stressful end to qualifying, a last gasp effort jumping him up the order and safely out of the bottom five.
Jack Doohan made a mistake on his lap, and joined team-mate Pierre Gasly in the bottom five.
Eliminated: Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, Gabriel Bortoleto, Liam Lawson.
Q2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli led the field out for the start of Q2, his opening lap was immediately usurped by George Russell. His lap was slower than in Q1 however/
After his difficulty in the first session, Norris’s first lap moved half a second clear of his team-mate, who moved into second.
The two Ferraris were next to show their hand in sixth and seventh. Verstappen could only manage third.
In the lower order, the battle to reach Q3 was between Lance Stroll, Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Isack Hadjar, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz. All were separated by less than two tenths of a second as the final runs began.
The second runs began with 90 seconds remaining. All drivers were out on the circuit with the exception of Lando Norris.
The Ferraris remained where they were, while Isack Hadjar moved into a brilliant fourth. Antonelli’s next lap only kept him ninth, however those behind all failed to progress.
It was heartbreak for Ocon who missed out on Q3 by the smallest of margins. Carlos Sainz became the big name casualty, ending up 15th.
Eliminated: Ocon, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Stroll, Sainz
Q3
The McLarens, Ferrari’s and Mercedes and Verstappen all entered Q3 with two new sets of softs, so no driver would compromised.
Verstappen started his first run and laid down a marker for the others to match. His 1:30:925 was faster than his Q2 time.
Antonelli ran wide at the final corner, and had his lap time deleted. The two Racing Bull’s pace continued, moving into third and fourth.
Piastri jumped to the top of the times, as both Ferrari’s shared the second row. Norris completed a front row lockout, 0.090s behind his team-mate. Russell after two preparation laps split the Ferraris.
As the lull of the end of the session ended, Max Verstappen found himself taking avoiding action in the pit lane after Isack Hadjar was released into his path.
The Dutchman was the first to set his final run, Norris matching his first sector. Verstappen lost two tenths in the middle sector, as did Norris who aborted his lap. George Russell moved into second place after finding over six tenths of a second.
Hadjar moved into seventh, Antonelli eighth, Tsunoda ninth, with Albon completing the top ten.
Top 10: Piastri, Russell, Norris, Verstappen, Hamilton, Leclerc, Hadjar, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Albon
