Lewis Hamilton claims pole position in F1 China Grand Prix sprint qualifying

Lewis Hamilton, the British driver for Ferrari, took pole position in the sprint qualifying session at the Formula 1 World Championship's China Grand Prix.

F1 sprint qualifying at Shanghai International Circuit

The 5.4-kilometer Shanghai International Circuit hosted the sprint qualifying session ahead of the second race of the season.

Lewis Hamilton clocked a time of 1 minute 30.849 seconds, securing the top spot. Max Verstappen from Red Bull followed closely behind, just 0.018 seconds slower, claiming second place.

F1 Chinese Grand Prix 2025 - Sprint Qualifying - Lewis Hamilton

Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes on track during Sprint Qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of China at Shanghai International Circuit, March 21, 2025 in Shanghai, China. (AA Photo)

Oscar Piastri to start from third in sprint race

McLaren's Oscar Piastri, finishing 0.08 seconds behind Hamilton, will start the sprint race from third position.

Upcoming races and timings

The sprint race will take place tomorrow at 06:00 GMT, followed by the qualifying session at 10:00 GMT. The main race at the China Grand Prix, a 56-lap contest, will begin on Sunday, March 23, at 10:00 GMT.

Current standings after Australian Grand Prix

Following the season's opening race at the Australian Grand Prix, the top 5 positions in both the drivers' and constructors' standings are as follows:

Drivers' standings:

1. Lando Norris (Great Britain): 25 points
2. Max Verstappen (Netherlands): 18 points
3. George Russell (Great Britain): 15 points
4. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Italy): 12 points
5. Alexander Albon (Thailand): 10 points

Constructors' standings:

1. McLaren: 27 points
2. Mercedes: 27 points
3. Red Bull: 18 points
4. Williams: 10 points
5. Aston Martin: 8 points