Hamilton claims sprint race for his 1st Ferrari victory, Piastri takes pole at Chinese F1 GP

Lewis Hamilton has won his first race for Ferrari, securing Saturday’s Sprint victory from pole position following an early duel with Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen at the Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Hamilton got a great start to take the lead into turn one, and managed the gap to Verstappen, until the Dutchman was passed for second on lap 15 by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri into the back straight’s hairpin.

Ferrari’s new recruit was then able to stretch his legs all the way to his maiden Sprint win, with the Brit coming home almost 6.9 seconds ahead of Piastri - for eight points (nine overall) and a three-place jump to seventh in the standings.

“The last like five laps or something I was in a really pretty comfortable position. It’s hard to put into words what it feels like,” Hamilton said.

“Obviously it’s a Sprint race, is not the main race, but even just think to get that - it’s just a good stepping stone to where I’m working towards.”

Hamilton is still enjoying every new moment with the Scuderia, despite having secured a record-equaling seven titles and 104 wins, with the Chinese Sprint - and his romp to the win - all about managing the tire wear.

Hamilton arrived in Shanghai after a disappointing season-opening race last weekend in Australia, where he finished 10th in his debut race for Ferrari. Piastri was happy to jump Verstappen and take second, but disappointed to not be the one to take the win from pole position - given McLaren’s pace advantage.

The pressure is now on McLaren to recover in Saturday afternoon’s qualifying to what it hopes is its rightful place at the front of the grid.

Verstappen was again happy to finish in the top three, with the reigning World Champion picking up seven points to take his total haul to 24 - two behind leader, McLaren’s Lando Norris, who had a scrappy race to finish eighth.

Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris finished eighth, far from the recovery drive he needed to have. The Brit started sixth, but went wide at the turn six hairpin, lost places, and only got past Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll in the closing laps.

Norris, who had a title fighter’s mindset going into the weekend, looked shaken following two difficult sessions, but knows he has to reset for this afternoon.

Mercedes’ George Russell finished fourth, ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, having jumped the Monégasque at turn 14 on the opening lap.

Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda was sixth, ahead of Mercedes’ rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, and the two Aston Martins - with Lance Stroll ahead of Fernando Alonso, who closed out the top-10.

Meanwhile, McLaren’s Piastri scored his maiden pole position in Formula 1 ahead of Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix by delivering two sizzling laps that were quick enough for the top spot ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell.

The 23-year-old Australian, who is maximizing his weekend with second in Saturday morning’s Sprint race, said he’s “pretty pumped” to go one better Sunday, with the major challenge being tire wear.

Piastri, who will start the 56-lap race two places ahead of McLaren teammate Lando Norris, set it up by putting it all on the line on his final Q3 lap.

“My first lap was honestly better than my second lap, but just at the end of the (back) straight I lost a bit of time and didn’t do the best hairpin,” Piastri said.

“On the second lap,” he continued, “I was about two-tenths down on myself. So, I kind of just went ‘why not send it into the hairpin’ and I gained those back, and found a little bit more in the last corner. I was tempted to box before that, so I’m pretty happy now that I didn’t.”

Agencies