LEWIS HAMITLON BROKE the Shanghai lap record to take a stunning pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race as Ferrari bounced back from a torrid season-opener in style on Friday.
Hamilton, who has won a record six Chinese Grands Prix, flew round the resurfaced 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit in 1min 30.849sec in only his second race weekend with Ferrari.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull was second 0.018sec behind and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri third.
Charles Leclerc was fourth in the second Ferrari, Mercedes’ George Russell was fifth, with early championship leader Lando Norris only sixth after he aborted his final flying lap in his McLaren.
Hamilton emerged from his car to a huge ovation from the Shanghai fans.
“I’m a bit in shock,” said the seven-time world champion from Britain, who was only 10th on his Ferrari debut at the season-opening race in Melbourne.
“I can’t believe we get a pole for the sprint. It puts us in good stead for the race.”
Hamilton later added that he was “a bit gobsmacked, taken back by it”.
Kimi Antonelli in a Mercedes, Yuki Tsunoda’s RB, Alex Albon’s Williams and Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin rounded out the top 10.
All the cars were obligated to run medium-compound tyres in the first two sprint qualifying sessions, termed SQ1 and SQ2.
Red Bull rookie Liam Lawson had a bad start to his weekend, failing to get out of the first session after having a lap time deleted for exceeding track limits and the New Zealander will start 20th and last.
Also eliminated after the first session were the Alpine pair of Jack Doohan and Pierre Gasly, Haas’s Esteban Ocon and the Sauber of Nico Hulkenberg.
In SQ2, Fernando Alonso was 11th in the Aston Martin and missed out on the top-10 shootout.
Also eliminated were Oliver Bearman’s Haas, the Williams of Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto in a Sauber and Isack Hadjar’s RB.
The 19-lap sprint race will take place on Saturday morning before grand prix qualifying later the same day.
Sunday sees the Chinese Grand Prix over 56 laps.
Good decision dident need him today. Will certainly need him for the upcoming clash with the Kindgom.
Best footballer in the country , class act
Who do you drop to slot Lee back in? All six Mayo backs played very well, plus S O’Se and Parsons had a great game too. Nice (tough) choice for Rochford.
@Kieran Campbell: Not really a tough choice, cant afford to leave the 2016 player of the year on the bench especially playing against Kerry.
@sam Walsh who do you drop?
@Kieran Campbell: Anyone but him. He kept them in the drawn game single handedly last week.
Mayo’s strength in depth this year is nothing to be sniffed at. Boyle, Barrett and Durcan could play in most teams in the country and now they have Keegan to come back. I’m really looking forward to the battle between Kerry’s half backs and forwards versus Mayo’s.
Perhaps Mayo are coming to the boil at exactly the right time of the year. Will be battle hardened against a Kerry team who have yet to be tested. Should be a great game.