Lando Norris took pole position in a wet sprint qualifying session at the Chinese Grand Prix on Friday, beating Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton. The late downpour certainly made for a chaotic finale.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had looked set to continue his domination before the rain arrived and the lap times soared. It may not count for the record books, but Norris becomes the first driver to beat Verstappen in a ‘qualifying’ session this season.
It looked for a moment as if Hamilton had secured pole after Norris lost his lap for a track limits violation. However, the FIA reinstated his time after determining that he’d gained no advantage from running wide.
That sets up an all-British front row for Saturday’s 100km-dash, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso third. Verstappen will still fancy his chances of winning from fourth.
Carlos Sainz, the only other driver who’s prevailed in a meaningful session this year, starts fifth. He’s sandwiched between the two Red Bulls, with Sergio Perez sixth.
Nico Rosberg applauds one driver after Chinese GP sprint qualifying
Speaking live on Sky Sports F1 immediately after the session, 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg commended former teammate Hamilton. In his eyes, the 39-year-old produced a vintage lap to boost a ‘struggling’ team.
Teammate George Russell had failed to even reach SQ3, with rain scuppering his attempt to improve on the 11th-best time. That meant Mercedes were relying on Ferrari-bound Hamilton in the last eight minutes.
Hamilton has endured his worst-ever start to a season in 2024, scoring just 10 points in the first four races. But he showed a glimpse of top form in Shanghai.
Rosberg said: “That’s a great result for Lewis as well. Great result for Lewis and for Mercedes. They were really struggling out there. He did a magical lap there. Typical Lewis in those conditions.”
Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver at the Chinese Grand Prix
F1 hasn’t raced in China for five years thanks to restrictions around the Covid-19 pandemic. That means a number of drivers in the current field haven’t raced at this circuit before.
Hamilton doesn’t just have vast experience of driving in Shanghai, he has vast experience of winning there. He’s made the event his own by taking victory a record six times.
For context, no other driver has won the race more than twice. Alonso and Rosberg himself are tied for second.
Hamilton’s maiden triumph came on his march to his first title in 2008, and he also won there with McLaren in 2008. He then proceeded to take the chequered flag at four of the six runnings between 2014 and 2019.
While there’s little prospect of the 39-year-old adding to his tally this weekend if it stays dry, he can at least feel confident of extracting the maximum from his car. That’s something he’s struggled to do so far this year.
So much so, pundit Mark Webber has even suggested that Ferrari may regret their decision to axe the in-form Sainz in favour of Hamilton. The 103-time race-winner can silence those doubts if he carries the momentum from his Friday’s performance through the weekend.
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