A bitter afternoon
After the joy of winning the sprint race in the morning, Lewis Hamilton’s afternoon in China was far less satisfying. The Ferrari driver was unable to replicate his strong performances from earlier in the weekend at the Shanghai circuit and had to settle for fifth place in qualifying, which set the grid for tomorrow’s Grand Prix.

Once again, he outperformed his teammate Charles Leclerc—something that has been a constant this weekend—but both Ferrari cars will have to start from the third row. It’s not an ideal situation, especially considering the uncertainty of tire degradation, a factor that could particularly impact cars running in traffic without clean air.

More oversteer
Speaking to Sky Sport F1 after Q3, the seven-time Formula One world champion admitted he left a couple of tenths on the table, which could have put him on the second row. He also highlighted some setup changes made to the SF-25 single-seater between the sprint and Q1.

“I could have been a couple of tenths higher, but I really struggled to find the right balance in the car this afternoon,” Lewis Hamilton explained. “What changed compared to yesterday? Everyone else improved. We made a few changes, some small adjustments to the car, but in the end, we ended up with a lot more oversteer.” – the British driver concluded at the end of the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

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Lewis Hamilton crosses the finish line first aboard the Ferrari, while Charles Leclerc finishes the Chinese Sprint race in fifth position. A dream the Briton has had since childhood: winning with the Prancing Horse. It comes true in the second round of the championship, even though not in the main race, but in the smaller 100-kilometer one. A huge satisfaction in the aftermath of the disaster broadcast from the Albert Park swimming pool, where almost nothing worked for the Maranello team.

The Sprint Race is not an easy competition. There are no pit stops, and while the need to push to the maximum prevails, tire management is equally crucial, especially on a track like the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit, which wears out tires significantly. Lewis Hamilton delivered a masterclass in this regard, following his pole position yesterday, as his race engineer Riccardo Adami noted at the end of the Sprint event when he congratulated the Dutch driver over the team radio.

Yet, it wasn’t easy. Undoubtedly, running at the front helped, avoiding the turbulence generated by other cars. However, the tedious graining phenomenon also appeared on the left front tire of car number 44 and, for a moment in the race, caused slight concern for the former Mercedes driver. Lewis Hamilton, however, remained calm, despite Max Verstappen trying to close the gap behind him.

The seven-time Formula 1 world champion’s display of Ferrari’s strength should not be underestimated, especially considering Pirelli’s pressure adjustments. The Italian tire manufacturer was concerned that the cars’ higher-than-expected downforce levels could cause issues. The British champion showed great intelligence, building his victory through many small details.

Without a doubt, Lewis Hamilton has vast experience after nearly two decades in Formula One. On the other hand, unlike Charles Leclerc, who struggled tremendously due to an incorrect setup, failing to turn properly in Turn 13 due to an endemic lack of rotation, the Briton dominated the race without too many issues. However, before the competition, some noteworthy events unfolded.

On the starting grid, with about ten minutes to go before the race, Lewis Hamilton asked a series of questions regarding tire management. An exchange of information with his race engineer, Riccardo Adami, that was useful for optimizing tire usage. The British driver was forward-thinking, precise, and eager for information, wanting to understand where he could push or hold back in every single corner of the track.

Discussions took place before the formation lap to prepare the tires optimally for the start and later regarding the race itself, where all strategies were executed to perfection. Additionally, during the Sprint Race, guidance was provided on how to use the differential to best manage the car’s rotation. The same applied to brake system mappings and power unit settings.

On the other hand, the Monegasque driver had a much more complicated race, despite the fact that his clutch release at the start was excellent, allowing him to pull alongside Oscar Piastri and engage in a wheel-to-wheel battle up to the second sector of the track. Unfortunately, the Australian defended brilliantly and, as often happens in such situations, the third party benefitted. Indeed, George Russell’s Mercedes bided its time before taking advantage of its superior traction in Turn 13, leading onto the 1.2 kilometer straight.

The Briton exploited his lower-drag setup and, at the end of the long high-speed section, overtook the Ferrari driver. From that point on, Charles Leclerc struggled with graining and the aforementioned understeer, only managing to get close toward the race’s end in an attempt to reclaim the position. He tried everything, but George Russell consistently shut the door, defending excellently.

After the Sprint Race, teams are allowed to adjust their car’s setup. Ferrari has therefore decided to tweak the setup of car number 16 to improve Charles Leclerc’s confidence with the SF-25. A move that could turn around a weekend that has been underwhelming so far, as a qualifying session and a 300-kilometer race still remain, offering a chance to overturn the situation.

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Lewis Hamilton’s Standout Performance

The first real highlight of the Ferrari-Hamilton partnership arrived in China. While it was just a Sprint race, the way the British driver dominated from pole position has ignited the dreams of Ferrari fans around the world. However, team principal Fred Vasseur is keeping expectations in check. Speaking to Sky Sport F1 after the race, he praised Lewis Hamilton’s performance, as well as Charles Leclerc’s effort, despite the Monegasque finishing fifth after starting fourth. The French manager also quickly shifted focus to the upcoming qualifying session.

“We shouldn’t draw too many conclusions from this race,” the Frenchman cautioned. “It’s still too early. I’m not saying Lewis had an easy race, but he was in control from the start. At one point, he allowed Verstappen to close in a little, but in doing so, he also forced him to damage his tires. He had clean air throughout the race, was able to push towards the end, and finished with a seven-second gap over Oscar Piastri. The most important thing for me is that we had a strong race. Charles was also managing his pace at one stage but came back very strong at the end. Now, we move forward.”

A Crucial Qualifying Session

After securing pole position in Friday’s Sprint qualifying, Fred Vasseur was not surprised by Hamilton’s strong race pace. “When you start from pole, you have to aim for the win,” he emphasized. “You can’t start from pole and expect to finish third. The pace was good, the car was well-balanced, and that’s the key factor. If you perform well in qualifying, you should expect a good race. However, it’s also true that starting second makes things more difficult in these conditions—you’re in dirty air, you wear out the tires more, and if you can’t overtake, you struggle. Lewis managed the race well; he let Verstappen catch up at one stage, which forced him to push and damage his tires, while Lewis had some performance in reserve.”

“Is qualifying crucial? Yes,” Fred Vasseur confirmed. “It’s a bit less so for a long race because strategy gives more flexibility. But of course, we’d prefer to start from pole again tomorrow, no question about it.” The Frenchman also defended Leclerc’s performance: “Did he struggle? No. He was two-tenths behind yesterday, that’s true. But today, starting fourth or fifth means you have to worry about tire management, which prevented him from pushing in the early laps. Russell, on the other hand, pushed hard, but in the end, he was just trying to survive. Without a race simulation, it was difficult to have precise expectations or gauge how much we could push the tires from the start.” – the Ferrari team boss concluded.

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LEWIS HAMILTON BECOMES THE FIRST EVER SPRINT WINNER FOR FERRARI

pic.twitter.com/NFK7x3LHgf

— La Gazzetta Ferrari (@GazzettaFerrari) March 22, 2025

— see video above —

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Starting from pole position, Hamilton put himself in the perfect spot for the short Saturday race. As the lights went out, he reacted swiftly, fending off Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, which never truly posed a serious challenge for the lead. After an initial phase of graining that allowed the Dutchman to close the gap, Hamilton’s Ferrari quickly recovered pace, controlling the race and extending his advantage over the chasers.

The checkered flag sealed Lewis Hamilton’s maiden Ferrari victory in the Chinese Sprint Race. The Ferrari mechanics celebrated with raised fists on the pit wall, while the British driver punched the air in triumph, making this Saturday in Shanghai one for the history books. Beyond the emotional win, Ferrari took encouraging signs from the 19-lap Sprint, particularly regarding race pace. Hamilton stood out with his tire management, and Charles Leclerc also showed late-race improvement. Optimism is high in the Ferrari garage heading into Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Lewis Hamilton’s Triumph: Pure Joy After Sprint Victory in China

Ferrari’s first Sprint win. Hamilton’s first Sprint win. Jacques Villeneuve conducted the post-race interview: “Second race with Ferrari and already a victory. You came here and destroyed the competition!” The #44 Ferrari driver spoke with deep emotion, his words nearly drowned out by the roar of the crowd: “The weather is beautiful, and the fans are fantastic. The first race was tough. A lot of people underestimated how difficult it is to join a new team, and many talked nonsense.”

“This weekend, I felt much more comfortable in the car right from the start. That wasn’t the case in Melbourne. We worked hard with the team to optimize the car, and today it went perfectly. I had a great start. The grip on this new asphalt is incredible, but managing the tires was still a challenge,” explained Hamilton.

“I don’t know how people will react to this result. I don’t feel pressure, but I know the fans want to win. We have to take it one step at a time, keep pushing while staying calm, diligent, and focused. It’s easy to get carried away in moments like this, but the road ahead is still very long.”

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Sprint Race Recap

As the cars lined up on the grid, Max Verstappen angled his Red Bull toward Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, aiming to gain an advantage off the line and defend against any early overtaking attempts from the Briton.

When the lights went out, Hamilton made an excellent launch, successfully fending off Piastri. Charles Leclerc also held his ground against George Russell while attempting to challenge Piastri into Turn 3. Meanwhile, Lando Norris found himself compromised at Turn 5, losing two positions after his McLaren got unsettled mid-corner.

As the pack approached the hairpin at Turn 14, Russell executed a decisive move on Charles Leclerc, overtaking the Ferrari on the inside. The Monegasque, however, remained glued to the back of the Mercedes, determined to reclaim the lost position.

By lap 3, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion set the fastest lap of the race, crucially pulling out of Verstappen’s DRS range.

By lap 5, the top five order remained unchanged: Hamilton led from Verstappen, followed by Piastri, Russell, and Leclerc. Behind them, Yuki Tsunoda continued to impress in sixth. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Liam Lawson made a late-braking move on Alpine’s Jack Doohan into the Turn 14 hairpin. The aggressive maneuver led to contact between the two, prompting the Stewards to launch an investigation into Lawson for causing a collision.

Lap 9 saw Hamilton’s tires degrade faster than expected, allowing Verstappen to close the gap to just six-tenths of a second. Piastri, on the other hand, dropped out of Verstappen’s DRS range, losing touch with the front two. The Ferrari driver wasn’t the only one struggling with tire wear—Norris, running in ninth, radioed his engineer Will Joseph, complaining that despite managing his pace, his tires were still wearing excessively.

Further down the order, an intense midfield battle unfolded as Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, Pierre Gasly, Carlos Sainz, and Liam Lawson fought fiercely for P13. In the midst of the scrap, Lawson made contact with another car on the main straight, causing minor bodywork damage to his Red Bull.

At the front, Oscar Piastri also began experiencing graining, while Verstappen’s front tires looked visibly worn. This played into Hamilton’s hands, as the Ferrari driver extended his lead to 1.5 seconds.

By lap 12, Carlos Sainz’s struggles continued. The Spaniard lost two positions in a single corner, first to Hadjar at Turn 4, then to Lawson, who seized the opportunity to slip past as well. Realizing his deteriorating pace, Sainz immediately dived into the pits for fresh rubber.

Lap 14 saw Oscar Piastri challenge Verstappen with a bold move into Turn 1. The Dutchman defended aggressively, forcing Piastri to attempt the pass around the outside. Shortly after, Verstappen radioed his engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase, reporting that both his front tires were “completely gone.”

A few laps later, Oscar Piastri finally lined up an overtake on Verstappen at Turn 14. The Red Bull driver didn’t give up the position easily, but their wheel-to-wheel battle remained fair. Further back, Norris also gained a place, overtaking Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll to move up to eighth and secure a points-paying position.

F1 China, the Sprint standings

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Sir Lewis Hamilton's race start – smooth.

pic.twitter.com/PmG9yng2PC

— sim (@simsgazette) March 22, 2025

— see video above —

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Lewis Hamilton making progress

After the significant struggles he faced during his debut weekend with Ferrari in Melbourne, Lewis Hamilton has shown the opposite—decisively encouraging—signs in China. The British champion is gradually integrating into the Maranello team and seems to be settling well within the squad.

Marc Gené’s words

Confirming this observation, Ferrari ambassador Marc Gené spoke to Spain’s Dazn: “Looking at the telemetry, I was very surprised. We noticed that he has incredible braking talent in certain corners. And considering he had to adapt to different brakes and a new steering wheel after more than ten years with Mercedes, that’s remarkable.”

Marc Gené then shared another insight: “In some graphs, we saw that he was very strong, yet he kept telling us he still didn’t feel fully comfortable with the car. And that also shows his humility. Working with him is extremely enjoyable,” the 50-year-old Catalan concluded.

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A flash of brilliance

Lewis Hamilton’s pole position for the Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix—set to start at 4:00 AM Central European Standard Time—made headlines worldwide, as it marked the first major achievement of the British champion with Ferrari. While Sprint qualifying does not award points, it certainly serves as a strong introduction for Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari fans, who were left disoriented after the disappointing race in Australia.

Helmut Marko praises Lewis Hamilton

Among those congratulating Lewis Hamilton was Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s advisor, in an interview with Motorsport.com: “I think they had an unfortunate event in Melbourne. But here in China, Ferrari has been strong since FP1. And congratulations to Lewis Hamilton for taking pole position in only his second race in red.”

Helmut Marko went on to express his admiration for Charles Leclerc’s talent: “Let’s not forget he’s up against an incredible qualifier like Leclerc. I mean, it’s an amazing result.”

The former Austrian driver concluded without making any predictions for the Sprint and the Grand Prix: “With this new asphalt, tire degradation will be lower. We’ll see who can maintain great speed over the race distance.”

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The technical side of F1 has undergone major changes in recent years, one of which was the abandonment of V10 engines, a topic that is now being revisited.

Lewis Hamilton shared his thoughts on the possibility of bringing V10 engines back to F1 after nearly twenty years of disuse. The British driver has never raced with a ten-cylinder engine but has competed in several seasons with V8s and achieved most of his success with Mercedes’ V6s.

One of the key differences brought by the reduction in engine cylinders is the sound of the cars. Compared to the engines used thirty years ago, modern power units are significantly quieter, a characteristic that most fans dislike.

Speaking about the potential return of V10s, Hamilton commented: “It’s no secret, the V6 never sounded good.” He went on to describe the emotions he felt the first time he heard an F1 car in action. “It was 1996 at Spa, and Michael Schumacher went through the first corner—my whole chest vibrated.”

He continued, recalling the sensation of hearing Michael Schumacher’s car, powered by a V10 engine. “I was immediately blown away. It was the most overwhelming thing I had ever experienced and heard. Unfortunately, over the years, all of that has been lost.”

Is a return to V10s realistic?

F1 is committed to environmental sustainability. Many decisions, including technical ones, are made to minimize the sport’s ecological impact. Because of this, Lewis Hamilton has expressed support for a return to V10 engines, provided it does not conflict with sustainability goals.

He also highlighted the environmental concerns surrounding hybrid V6 engines. “Current power units cost an incredible amount. They are also bigger and heavier, and considering the batteries we have used over the years, one might even question whether they are truly sustainable.”

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