It feels like déjà vu. Once again, after a promising start to the weekend, Ferrari failed to match its rivals in Chinese GP qualifying. Frederic Vasseur attempted to shed light on the reasons behind this drop in performance.

The Scuderia will start from the third row, with Lewis Hamilton in fifth and Charles Leclerc in sixth—far from what fans had hoped for after seeing the British driver dominate the sprint race during the Italian night. The SF-25 has shown better tire degradation management than its competitors, but it remains to be seen how the situation will evolve after the setup changes made between sessions.

Fred Vasseur explains the third-row start
Following Chinese GP qualifying, Frederic Vasseur discussed why Ferrari couldn’t replicate the pole position it secured on Friday in Shanghai. “We’re all very close. I think by the end of the session, everyone felt they could have done better. We struggled in Q2 but were competitive again in Q3. It’s a shame we couldn’t optimize everything. We’re in the fight, and the race will be long,” said the Ferrari Team Principal.

When asked about potential setup changes after the sprint race, Frederic Vasseur chose not to comment. “I won’t talk about it because it would only create unnecessary controversy. What’s certain is that we saw more tire degradation than expected in the sprint, and I believe the race will be decided by tire management. Pirelli’s decision to adjust tire pressures has nothing to do with it.”

“Going back to qualifying, we struggled in Q2 and couldn’t recover quickly enough in Q3. There were significant differences from one session to another, but this affected everyone. The race will be long, and we’re still in the fight,” Frederic Vasseur concluded at the end of the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, which was held earlier today at the 5.451-kilometre Shanghai International Circuit.

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Saturday’s track action has come to an end for the second race weekend of the 2025 season. While Friday’s performance suggested a tight battle for the top positions, McLaren once again asserted its dominance in qualifying. Unfortunately for Ferrari fans, the team slipped back to being the third or fourth force, failing to replicate its Friday pace. Here’s what Charles Leclerc had to say following Chinese GP qualifying.

The situation was clear. Throughout the weekend in Shanghai, from the sole free practice session onward, Lewis Hamilton appeared more competitive than his teammate. Drawing on his experience—having won the Grand Prix six times—he managed to secure his first pole for Ferrari, valid for the sprint race. During the Italian night, he also claimed victory, bringing Maranello its first “win” of 2025.

Charles Leclerc, on the other hand, struggled throughout the 5 km of the Asian circuit. His biggest losses came in the first sector, particularly through Turns 1, 2, and 3, where he and his teammate took entirely different lines. He qualified fourth in the sprint shootout and finished fifth in the sprint race, unable to regain his position from Russell.

In the Grand Prix qualifying session, his performance dropped even further. Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari, car number 16, qualified sixth behind Lewis Hamilton with a time of 1:31.021—nearly half a second off Oscar Piastri’s pole.

However, the outlook for tomorrow’s race is entirely different. As seen in the 19-lap sprint, tire degradation—especially graining—will be a crucial factor. Managing tire wear efficiently without stressing them too much in the early laps will be key.

Speaking to Sky Sport F1, Charles Leclerc commented on the situation heading into the race: “The others improved a lot over the weekend, while we didn’t as much as we should have. If I wasn’t happy with my lap yesterday, today I am a bit more because I gave everything I had and couldn’t do more.” – the Monegasque driver pointed out.

“I wasn’t expecting a miracle because I don’t like this track. We need to analyze the data since track conditions and pressures have changed, but they changed for everyone. Maybe they affected us more than others, but we need to understand why.”

Charles Leclerc was also not optimistic about the race: “We know Lewis is very strong, but we have to be careful because this isn’t a great starting position. Being in front with clean air helps a lot with tire management. I don’t think we’ll be able to match our sprint pace, but we’ll try to maximize what we can. This morning’s win was positive, but looking ahead, it’s going to be very difficult.” – the Monegasque driver concluded.

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Oscar Piastri has secured his first-ever Formula 1 pole position after delivering a standout performance in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix. The McLaren driver outpaced the competition to claim the top spot, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Joining Piastri on the front row will be George Russell, who narrowly prevented a McLaren front-row lockout with a last-gasp effort. Meanwhile, reigning world champion Max Verstappen will start from third place, lining up alongside current championship leader Lando Norris on the second row.

Ferrari will occupy the third row, with both of its drivers positioned just behind the top contenders. At present, no grid penalties have been confirmed, but investigations are underway regarding an incident between Ollie Bearman and Lance Stroll for possible impeding, as well as a suspected unsafe release by Racing Bulls involving Isack Hadjar.

Provisional starting grid

1 Piastri
2 Russell
3 Norris
4 Verstappen
5 Hamilton
6 Leclerc
7 Hadjar
8 Antonelli
9 Tsunoda
10 Albon
11 Ocon
12 Hulkenberg
13 Alonso
14 Stroll
15 Sainz
16 Gasly
17 Bearman
18 Doohan
19 Bortoleto
20 Lawson

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Oscar Piastri Claims Pole Position for 2025 Chinese Grand Prix

Oscar Piastri will lead the grid at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix after securing pole position with a blistering lap of 1:30.641 at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Australian driver showcased exceptional pace throughout the session, narrowly edging out George Russell, who secured second place. Lando Norris completed the top three, ensuring a strong starting position for McLaren.

Piastri Capitalizes on Late Session Gains

The opening laps of Q3 saw Piastri, Norris, and Max Verstappen battling for the provisional pole, with the Australian initially holding the top spot. However, while Norris and Verstappen were unable to improve on their final runs, Piastri found additional pace in his last attempt, cementing his position at the front of the grid. George Russell took full advantage of his final lap, climbing to second place and pushing Norris down to third. Lewis Hamilton will start from P5, just ahead of Charles Leclerc, as Ferrari looks to bounce back from a challenging qualifying session.

Isack Hadjar delivered an outstanding performance, outqualifying both his RB teammate Yuki Tsunoda and rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Meanwhile, Alexander Albon rounded out the top ten, securing a solid starting position for Williams.

Q2: Ferrari and Antonelli Avoid Trouble as Midfield Battles Intensify

The second qualifying session threatened to put Ferrari and Antonelli at risk, but with no major improvements from the midfield challengers, both teams managed to scrape through. Esteban Ocon came agonizingly close to reaching Q3 but ultimately missed out, settling for 11th place. Nico Hülkenberg delivered Sauber’s best qualifying result of the season, securing P12.

Aston Martin endured another disappointing session, with both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll failing to progress. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz found himself eliminated in Q2 once again, ending the session in 15th place, two-tenths behind his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Q2 Eliminations:

P11 Esteban Ocon (Alpine)

P12 Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber)

P13 Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

P14 Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

P15 Carlos Sainz (Ferrari)

Q1: Early Exits for Alpine and Rookie Contenders

The first segment of qualifying saw Liam Lawson struggle once again, finishing in P20, mirroring his Sprint Qualifying result. Alpine had a disastrous session, as Pierre Gasly made a costly mistake in the final corner, preventing him from advancing beyond Q1. Jack Doohan also had a tough outing, spinning at Turn 9 on his opening lap and failing to recover.

Gabriel Bortoleto, who had shown promise in previous rounds, was unable to outqualify Nico Hülkenberg this time, finishing 19th. Oliver Bearman also faced an early exit, ending his session in P17.

Q1 Eliminations:

P16 Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

P17 Oliver Bearman (Haas)

P18 Jack Doohan (Alpine)

P19 Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

P20 Liam Lawson (RB)

With Piastri leading the charge and an intense midfield battle shaping up, the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix promises to be a thrilling contest. Stay tuned for all the latest updates as race day approaches.

Result Qualification – Chinese GP

#	Driver	Team	Time	Tyre
1	Oscar Piastri	McLaren	1:30.641
2	George Russell	Mercedes	1:30.723
3	Lando Norris	McLaren	1:30.793
4	Max Verstappen	Red Bull	1:30.817
5	Lewis Hamilton	Ferrari	1:30.927
6	Charles Leclerc	Ferrari	1:31.021
7	Isack Hadjar	Racing Bulls	1:31.079
8	Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:31.103
9	Yuki Tsunoda	Racing Bulls	1:31.638
10	Alexander Albon	Williams	1:31.706
11	Esteban Ocon	Haas	1:31.625
12	Nico Hulkenberg	Stake	1:31.632
13	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin	1:31.688
14	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin	1:31.773
15	Carlos Sainz	Williams	1:31.840
16	Pierre Gasly	Alpine	1:31.992
17	Oliver Bearman	Haas	1:32.018
18	Jack Doohan	Alpine	1:32.092
19	Gabriel Bortoleto	Stake	1:32.141
20	Liam Lawson	Red Bull	1:32.174

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Checkered flag at the Shanghai Sprint Race: here’s how the F1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings change after the sprint in China.

The checkered flag waves over Shanghai, marking the conclusion of the first sprint race of the 2025 season. Let’s see how the F1 World Championship standings have changed after the Chinese GP Sprint.

F1 2025 – Drivers’ Standings after the Sprint in China
Lando NORRIS (McLaren) – 26 points
Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull) – 24 points
George RUSSELL (Mercedes) – 20 points
Andrea Kimi ANTONELLI (Mercedes) – 14 points
Alexander ALBON (Williams) – 10 points
Lewis HAMILTON (Ferrari) – 9 points
Oscar PIASTRI (McLaren) – 9 points
Charles LECLERC (Ferrari) – 8 points
Lance STROLL (Aston Martin) – 8 points
Nico HULKENBERG (Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber) – 6 points
Yuki TSUNODA (Racing Bulls) – 3 points
Pierre GASLY (Alpine) – 0 points
Esteban OCON (Haas) – 0 points
Oliver BEARMAN (Haas) – 0 points
Liam LAWSON (Red Bull) – 0 points
Gabriel BORTOLETO (Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber) – 0 points
Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin) – 0 points
Carlos SAINZ (Williams) – 0 points
Jack DOOHAN (Alpine) – 0 points
Isack HADJAR (Haas) – 0 points

F1 Constructors’ Standings after the Sprint in China
McLaren – 35 points
Mercedes – 34 points
Red Bull – 24 points
Ferrari – 17 points
Williams – 10 points
Aston Martin – 8 points
Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber – 6 points
Racing Bulls – 3 points
Alpine – 0 points
Haas – 0 points

Thus, the 2025 F1 Drivers’ and Constructors’ standings change after the Chinese GP sprint race, the first of the newly started championship. After the short Saturday race, it’s now time for the proper qualifying session, which will determine the starting grid for the Shanghai Grand Prix.

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Charles Leclerc caught off guard by George Russell

On Ferrari’s 19th attempt, the team finally secured a Sprint race victory, thanks to Lewis Hamilton, who in just his second weekend with the Scuderia has already claimed a Sprint pole and a Saturday race win. Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, started from fourth but lost ground, ultimately finishing in fifth place.

The Monegasque was overtaken by George Russell on the second lap: “I was conservative,” Charles Leclerc admitted to Sky at the end of the Chinese Sprint race. “But in both the first and middle parts of the race, I didn’t have great pace. It’s definitely a missed point. Historically, this track—like Melbourne—has always been a bit tricky for me. That’s not an excuse, but so far, I haven’t been at Hamilton’s level.” – he pointed out.

Charles Leclerc knows he must respond, starting with the upcoming Qualifying session in just a few hours: “After these races, I hope to look ahead to the next rounds, but right now, I need to focus on maximizing points here. In this race, for example, I could have finished fourth. This afternoon, I hope to find a better feeling with the car to qualify in a stronger position.”

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The Chinese Grand Prix weekend has officially begun, and while all the drivers are on track for their only free practice session ahead of the Sprint Qualifying later today, the paddock is buzzing with talk about the new technical directive introduced by the FIA to further curb the issue of flexible wings.

Mara Sangiorgio, in an interview for Sky Sport Italia, spoke with the FIA’s Technical Director, Nicholas Tombazis, who explained the reasons behind this sudden rule change, implemented right after the Melbourne round. Below are his statements.

The Greek engineer stated: “The teams are well aware that they need to make their wings very rigid. This year, we decided to be more restrictive on the front wing with some changes that will come into effect from the Spanish GP, as well as on the rear wing. It became quite clear from the start that the measures taken for the rear were not sufficient, and to prevent this discussion from continuing in the upcoming races, we decided to be very decisive right away.”

Nicholas Tombazis then concluded his statement by saying: “The origin of everything is indeed the mini DRS. The relationship between the main wing profile and the flap changed at speed, opening up and reducing drag. This was the reason why some teams were doing it. To monitor everything, we installed cameras on the cars and saw some phenomena that we didn’t like. That’s why we made this decision.”

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Pirelli is at work during the F1 China weekend: tire pressures are adjusted after Sprint Qualifying. The grip level of the new Shanghai asphalt is too high, which, compared to simulations, lowers lap times by “more than two seconds” for the cars. This change ensures the integrity of the tire compounds and driver safety, without negatively affecting performance.

The Chinese Friday opens with Ferrari’s first joy of the season. Lewis Hamilton takes pole position in the sprint qualifying, ahead of Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri. Ferrari beats Red Bull, while McLaren is confused by a less-than-optimal strategy. Too many errors from both drivers, with Lando Norris forced to start only in sixth position.

While Frédéric Vasseur preaches calm, focusing on the “negative” aspects of the SF-25, Maranello can finally regain some peace of mind. The car finds balance again and withstands the strong winds that complicate the rivals’ work, especially in the McLaren garage. However, starting from Saturday’s Sprint Race, Pirelli intervenes on the tires: an essential adjustment on the new Shanghai asphalt.

Pirelli increases tire pressures: no effect on performance
The tire pressures for this weekend, already considered fairly high, are further increased: the front pressure rises from 26.5 psi to 27.5 psi; the rear pressure increases from 23.0 psi to 24.0 psi. A routine adjustment, however, it has not been well received by the social media crowd, who are concerned about the potential effects on Ferrari.

Reassurance comes directly from Mario Isola, responding to a comment on Instagram: “[We increased the pressures] because the simulations we received underestimated the grip level of the asphalt, thus lowering car performance by more than 2 seconds per lap. 1 psi more does not change anything in terms of performance.”

Increasing tire pressures is necessary on high-grip tracks to ensure the structural integrity of the tire compounds. Too low a pressure can create issues in the shoulder area, which, if uncontrolled, can lead to failures and punctures.

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McLaren were the favorites for the Sprint Qualifying in Shanghai, but from the very beginning of the session, Ferrari #44 appeared to be the closest competitor. At the decisive moment, however, an imperfect strategy and execution from the papaya team, combined with a highly competitive SF25 and a stunning performance from Hamilton, made Ferrari’s upset victory possible. This analysis takes a deep dive into the Ferrari-McLaren battle in the Chinese Sprint Qualifying with the aid of telemetry, comparing the fast laps of Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri.

Lewis Hamilton’s driving in S1 makes the difference
First of all, the Maranello car shows significantly more efficiency, allowing it to reach a top speed 7 kph higher (319 HAM vs 312 PIA).

Lewis Hamilton’s pole position, however, was built from the first sector, where his different driving approach proved decisive. Telemetry data highlights how his wider racing line with two apexes—observed in his onboard footage through Turn 1—translated into better exit speed. The Ferrari driver lifted off the throttle and braked later, which initially forced him to go wider, but this very trajectory allowed him to exit the corner with less steering angle. As a result, he could apply the throttle earlier, reaching 91% throttle opening compared to Oscar Piastri’s 73%. This section alone earned Hamilton more than two-tenths. However, the McLaren managed to recover some of the gap with better traction and steering angle, but the SF25’s efficiency reversed the trend in the second half of the straight. By the braking zone of Turn 6, Lewis Hamilton reached 290 kph compared to Piastri’s 285 kph and was able to brake later, gaining 0.185s.

Telemetry Analysis HAM-PIA Sprint Qualifying China. Source F1inGenerale

S2: Ferrari shows downforce and balance
In the second sector, Ferrari proved very competitive in high-speed corners (T7) as well as medium- and low-speed sections (T8-T9). Despite its superior efficiency, the SF25’s remarkable downforce and balance allowed Hamilton to carry more speed and be aggressive on the throttle. Notably, in T8, Lewis Hamilton maintained 25% throttle, while Oscar Piastri lifted off completely. Similarly, on exit, Hamilton went full throttle, whereas Piastri only reached 81% throttle opening. However, McLaren reaffirmed its competitiveness in traction through the T9 exit combination.

S3: Lewis Hamilton nearly loses pole
The third sector consists of a long straight and Turns 14-16. On the straight, Ferrari fully exploited its efficiency, reaching 5 kph more (337 HAM vs 332 PIA). However, at the braking zone of Turn 14, Lewis Hamilton braked later but excessively, as he slowed too much on exit, losing significant lap time. Heading into the final corners, Oscar Piastri carried more speed and braked earlier to optimize his exit, a winning strategy. These two moments almost completely erased Lewis Hamilton’s four-and-a-half tenths advantage. Nevertheless, the multiple world champion held on and managed to cross the finish line in first place—by just 80 milliseconds.

Source: f1ingenerale

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The first qualifying session of the F1 weekend takes place in China, determining the starting grid for the Sprint Race, with Lewis Hamilton leading the pack. Shanghai hosts the first sprint race of the season, an additional challenge for teams still searching for the right setup with the new cars. The race is set for tomorrow morning at 4:00 AM Central European Standard Time, when the lights go out.

A week after Melbourne, Formula 1 returns to the track for the second round of the season. This time, it’s in Shanghai, a circuit that offers a more accurate picture of the competitive hierarchy on track. It’s an important opportunity for Ferrari, which needs to bounce back after a debut to forget. While Maranello is working on definitive corrections, the team in China is focusing on fine-tuning the setup.

The first session seems to favor the SF-25, with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest time. He later settles for fourth in SQ2 when the McLarens and the ever-dominant Max Verstappen, still Red Bull’s sole contender, step up their pace. In the end, however, pole position goes to car #44 and Ferrari.

Starting Grid and Penalties – 2025 Chinese GP, F1 Sprint Race

Lewis Hamilton – FERRARI
Max Verstappen – RED BULL
Oscar Piastri – MCLAREN
Charles Leclerc – FERRARI
George Russell – MERCEDES
Lando Norris – MCLAREN
Andrea Kimi Antonelli – MERCEDES
Yuki Tsunoda – RACING BULLS
Alexander Albon – WILLIAMS
Lance Stroll – ASTON MARTIN
Fernando Alonso – ASTON MARTIN
Oliver Bearman – HAAS
Carlos Sainz – WILLIAMS
Gabriel Bortoleto – STAKE F1 TEAM KICK SAUBER
Isack Hadjar – RACING BULLS
Jack Doohan – ALPINE
Pierre Gasly – ALPINE
Esteban Ocon – HAAS
Nico Hulkenberg – STAKE F1 TEAM KICK SAUBER
Liam Lawson – RED BULL

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