Lewis Hamilton expressed his surprise after securing his first pole position with Ferrari for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. He described his reaction as “gobsmacked,” admitting that he hadn’t expected such a quick turnaround after a tough weekend in Australia.
The Surprising Performance
Hamilton managed to out-qualify Max Verstappen from Red Bull, securing pole position for the sprint race. His Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, qualified in fourth, while Lando Norris of McLaren came in sixth. Hamilton’s time was notably quicker than Leclerc’s by 0.208 seconds and Norris’ by 0.544 seconds.
“I didn’t know when we would get to this position,” Hamilton said. “After last weekend, it was a difficult start to the week. I came here with aggression and wanted to get the car into a great place. I’m just a bit gobsmacked.”
Focus on the Sprint Race
Hamilton’s pole position is crucial for the upcoming sprint race on Saturday at 03:00 GMT. This sprint race will give teams a chance to modify their car setups before the main qualifying at 07:00. Despite the pole not being for the main race, Hamilton sees it as a valuable boost to his confidence. “It gives me real inspiration to go into tomorrow and try to find more performance,” he commented.
Leclerc’s Struggles and Team Insights
Charles Leclerc, Hamilton’s teammate, expressed frustration with his performance, stating that he was consistently slower than Hamilton, particularly in Turns One, Two, and Three. He struggled to match the pace of his teammate and was disappointed with his fourth-place finish. “It’s a shame we start P4, but Lewis is on pole, and hopefully we can have a strong race,” Leclerc said.
The Competitive Nature of F1
Ferrari’s team principal, Frederic Vasseur, reflected on the competitiveness of the top four teams and the challenge of getting the car setups right. He noted the importance of tire management and the difficulties teams face when they aren’t in the optimal window for tire performance.
“The day was a bit difficult to read,” Vasseur said. “McLaren was in front this morning, and in Q1, we were ahead. Q2, McLaren was great, and in Q3, we were back. It’s good for the team, but it’s a bit up and down. It’s the same as last year—three or four teams capable of winning depending on the tires.”
Looking Ahead
As Hamilton heads into the sprint race, he remains optimistic about finding more performance and pushing for even better results in the main race. With the fierce competition from Verstappen and other top drivers, the Chinese Grand Prix promises to be an exciting weekend for Formula 1 fans.
