F1 2025 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Race starting grid with penalties ap…read more
Lewis Hamilton has secured pole position for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race after a thrilling qualifying session that saw him narrowly edge out Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. The Ferrari driver posted a fastest lap of 1:30.849, setting a new lap record at the Shanghai International Circuit. Verstappen, who qualified in second, was just 0.018 seconds behind Hamilton, while Piastri finished third, 0.080 seconds off the pace.
Charles Leclerc, also driving for Ferrari, had a close call when he was summoned to the stewards over a possible penalty for “driving unnecessarily slowly” during the session. However, the FIA ultimately decided not to take any further action, allowing Leclerc to keep his fourth-place position, just 0.208 seconds behind Piastri.
George Russell, who drives for Mercedes, qualified fifth, 0.320 seconds slower than Hamilton. Lando Norris, the winner of the previous race, struggled during qualifying, finishing down in sixth place. Norris ran wide at a crucial corner during his final lap, losing time that could have potentially secured him pole. Despite his disappointment, Norris will start from a competitive position on the grid.
Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli qualified seventh, followed by Yuki Tsunoda in eighth place for Racing Bulls, just 0.924 seconds off the fastest time. Alex Albon secured ninth for Williams, with Lance Stroll rounding out the top 10 for Aston Martin, 1.133 seconds behind Hamilton.
Fernando Alonso, another Aston Martin driver, will start from 11th, while Ollie Bearman qualified 12th for Haas. Carlos Sainz will start in 13th for Williams, and Gabriel Bortoleto will be in 14th for Sauber. Isack Hadjar, who drives for Racing Bulls, will start 15th, with Jack Doohan (Alpine) in 16th, Pierre Gasly (Alpine) in 17th, and Esteban Ocon (Haas) in 18th.
The final two spots on the grid were taken by Liam Lawson from Red Bull in 19th, and Nico Hulkenberg, who was demoted to a pit-lane start for Sauber after receiving a late penalty.
The official starting grid for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race is as follows:
- Lewis Hamilton [Ferrari] – 1:30.849
- Max Verstappen [Red Bull] – +0.018
- Oscar Piastri [McLaren] – +0.080
- Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] – +0.208
- George Russell [Mercedes] – +0.320
- Lando Norris [McLaren] – +0.544
- Kimi Antonelli [Mercedes] – +0.889
- Yuki Tsunoda [Racing Bulls] – +0.924
- Alex Albon [Williams] – +1.003
- Lance Stroll [Aston Martin] – +1.133
- Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin]
- Ollie Bearman [Haas]
- Carlos Sainz [Williams]
- Gabriel Bortoleto [Sauber]
- Isack Hadjar [Racing Bulls]
- Jack Doohan [Alpine]
- Pierre Gasly [Alpine]
- Esteban Ocon [Haas]
- Liam Lawson [Red Bull]
*Pit-lane start: Nico Hulkenberg [Sauber]
The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race will take place on Saturday, March 22, with the local time set for 11 AM (CST). Fans worldwide can tune in at different times depending on their time zones, such as 3 AM GMT in the UK, 4 AM CET in Europe, 11 PM EST on Friday in the U.S., and 2 PM AEDT in Australia.
