Lewis Hamilton shatters Shanghai lap record, clinches stunning pole for Ferrari in Chinese GP sprint
SHANGHAI, March 21 — A “gobsmacked” Lewis Hamilton obliterated the Shanghai lap record to take a stunning pole position today for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint in only his second race weekend with Ferrari.
Hamilton, who has won a record six Chinese Grands Prix, flew round the resurfaced 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit in 1min 30.849sec.
His lap easily beat the 1:32.238 set in 2004 at the inaugural Chinese GP by fellow seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, also in a Ferrari.
Reigning world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, who won both the sprint and main race in China last year, was second fastest 0.018sec behind and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri was third.
Charles Leclerc was fourth as Ferrari showed a big improvement from Melbourne, where Hamilton was 10th and Leclerc eighth—the Scuderia’s worst season-opening performance since 2009.
“I’m just a bit gobsmacked, taken back by it. I didn’t know when we would get to this position,” said Hamilton, who emerged from his car to a huge ovation from the Chinese fans.
“I started out straight away with a better feeling in the car. I can’t believe we are at the front, ahead of a McLaren which has been so fast throughout winter testing, Australia and even today.
