Lewis Hamilton remains positive despite the fifth-place finish with his Ferrari during qualifying for the China GP after securing the victory in the Sprint during the Italian night. In qualifying, however, the Ferrari seemed more or less similar to what was shown in the shootout qualifying and the Sprint itself.

The times, in fact, are similar to those achieved on Friday in Shanghai, but McLaren has finally shown its potential and left Ferrari further behind. The situation, however, does not seem to be completely compromised for the race on Sunday, where Ferrari could demonstrate what was seen in the Sprint.

Ferrari modifies the car after the Sprint: but why?
However, based on what Lewis Hamilton said after qualifying, it is possible to deduce that changes were made to the SF-25 that inevitably affected the car’s performance. This does not take away hope for tomorrow’s race, but it could lead to some difficulties, as demonstrated today in qualifying.

“During this qualifying, we were 2 or 3 tenths slower than the McLarens. Personally, I could have been faster, but I struggled to find the balance with the car.” These were the first words of the seven-time world champion who claimed his first Sprint win of his career.

He then admits: “We made a couple of changes and some adjustments to the car that caused oversteer.” Hamilton did not specify what changes were made, but considering what was said by Fred Vasseur, the work could be related to tire wear management, which will be crucial during the race.

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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 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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There were surprises in the Sprint Qualifying. Ferrari seems to have reacted to the difficulties encountered in Australia; Lewis Hamilton secured an incredible Pole Position, beating an equally incredible Max Verstappen by 18 thousandths of a second.

In the second row, it’s McLaren vs Ferrari with Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc, while behind them will be George Russell and Lando Norris. McLaren’s Lando Norris was the favorite for the Pole Position but missed it in SQ3 with a mistake at the braking zone after the long straight.

Among the other surprises of Friday morning’s qualifying, Liam Lawson’s last place stood out, as he struggled with his Red Bull. On the other hand, Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto surprised by both making it into SQ2, beating their respective teammates, who did not make it past SQ1.

For the Sprint race scheduled today at the Shanghai circuit, the 100km distance corresponds to 19 laps. The points system remains unchanged from 2024 and will reward the top eight finishers.

The Sprint race will be an interesting indicator for the long race on Sunday. With only one practice session completed, the teams couldn’t gather the usual amount of data. Therefore, the pace of the cars is yet to be discovered: all the elements are in place for a race to remember.

— see video above —

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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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Shortly after the Sprint Qualifying session of the Chinese Grand Prix, an FIA notice puts a team in trouble: the Federation’s statement highlights a non-compliance by Williams regarding flexible wings. The irregularity was spotted by FIA delegate Jo Bauer.

While Lewis Hamilton celebrates his first (Sprint) pole position with Ferrari, the FIA issues a notice that could spell trouble for James Vowles’ Williams team. The British outfit has allegedly failed to comply with the Federation’s regulations on flexible wings, and the FIA may take action during the Chinese GP weekend.

Flexible wings, FIA statement: Williams now at risk
Williams has come under FIA scrutiny during the Chinese GP for failing to comply with Technical Directive TD034L on flexible wings. Jo Bauer, the Federation’s delegate, has reported the Grove-based team’s violation to the stewards.

“The Williams team did not provide the video files from its front and rear onboard cameras within one hour after the end of FP1,” reads the FIA statement. Teams are required to equip their cars with cameras to monitor wing flexibility and must submit their footage to the Federation within an hour after the session—in this case, Free Practice 1. Williams did not follow this directive, prompting an FIA investigation.

As described in Jo Bauer’s note, this requirement is outlined in the “Additional Diagnostics” section of Technical Directive TD034L. As a result, Williams is not in compliance with the FIA’s Technical Directive on flexible wings, and the Federation is investigating.

FIA summons Williams
Following Jo Bauer’s report, the FIA has officially summoned Williams in Shanghai. Representatives of the British team must appear before the Federation’s stewards at 8:30 AM on Saturday, March 22.

The Williams representatives will provide their explanations for the team’s failure to comply at 1:30 AM Central European Standard Time.

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pic.twitter.com/WfDPr2ZUOk

— sim (@teamlhmedia) March 21, 2025

— see video above —

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The Chinese Grand Prix will be a moment of truth, serving as a test for some of the most crucial design qualities and raising the question of whether anyone can challenge McLaren until the end of the year. Ferrari is eager to assess its actual gap from the world champions, convinced that the deficit seen in Australia does not accurately reflect the competitive landscape. The Shanghai round already stands as a key turning point, in a weekend further influenced by the Sprint format.

A stability test
The Chinese circuit is one of the most telling indicators of title aspirations. It has rightly been said that the highly varied calendar leads to a constant evolution in the competitive hierarchy from race to race, depending on track characteristics. However, Shanghai is among the circuits that most resemble European racetracks or others like Suzuka and Qatar, which make up a significant portion of the season. China features several high- and medium-speed corners, but pure aerodynamic load takes a back seat, with a maximum lateral acceleration of 4.6 g, lower than Melbourne’s 4.9 g. What stands out instead is the length of Shanghai’s sweeping corners.

In the 7-8-9-10 sequence, drivers remain on a steered trajectory for up to four seconds after each direction change, requiring great stability through the corners—one of the hardest qualities to develop. The most indicative section in this regard is the opening corkscrew, where entry speeds approach 300 km/h before an eight-second right-hand turn, progressively increasing the steering angle while reducing speed below 100 km/h. This is what teams call a yaw sweep, a complete test of the car’s performance at various yaw angles, which refers to the car’s rotation relative to its direction of travel.

Shanghai will reveal a lot about the title-contending qualities of the cars, starting with Ferrari, which has been working on improving cornering stability since late 2024. “Shanghai is a real track, but unfortunately, we struggled a lot there last year as well,” reflects Leclerc. Any difficulties encountered here would not be an isolated case. If the Chinese track proves challenging for the SF-25 or other cars, similar struggles could arise at many other races.

A complete circuit
While drivers were at full throttle for 78% of the lap in Melbourne, in China, that figure drops to just 55%, with average qualifying speeds around 210 km/h, compared to 250 km/h in Australia. These numbers highlight the slower and less flowing nature of the Shanghai track, necessitating medium-downforce setups slightly higher than those used in the season opener. Shanghai is also a key test of balance, as its high-speed corners contrast with sections demanding strong mechanical grip, such as Turns 3, 6, 11, and 14, where good traction is essential.

The presence of several hairpins shifts focus to braking, particularly at Turn 14, where deceleration reaches 4.7 g as speeds drop from 320 to 70 km/h. Brembo rates the track’s braking severity as 3 out of 5 and notes that brakes will be used for 18% of the lap time, compared to just 11% in Australia. Brake efficiency will be crucial, particularly for McLaren. Lando Norris has voiced frustration over the MCL39’s lack of responsiveness on corner entry, making it harder to attack the apex—a significant challenge in the opening corkscrew, where braking is constantly combined with increasing steering input to the right.

The weekend’s unknowns
The changes from Australia go beyond just track layout; Shanghai’s asphalt differs in abrasiveness, adhesive grip, and mechanical grip. The biggest uncertainty will be understanding how the surface interacts with harder tires compared to Australia, as Pirelli is supplying its intermediate compounds: C2, C3, and C4. Tire pressures have increased from last year, now set at 26.5 psi for the front and 23.0 psi for the rear, one psi higher than in Australia. The relatively easy overtaking opportunities shift the focus toward race management rather than single-lap pace, with braking and lateral forces making the front axle the limiting factor for race performance.

The Sprint format further complicates adaptation to the resurfaced track, with only one free practice session before the first qualifying session. Teams will need to quickly determine the optimal number of pit stops and tire strategies for the Grand Prix while saving enough tire sets for the race, potentially at the expense of Friday’s simulations and the Sprint. The new asphalt also poses a risk of rapid track evolution, forcing teams to anticipate future conditions with their setup choices.

The key questions in Shanghai
A major topic of discussion this weekend is the implementation of the technical directive tightening rear-wing flexibility tests. However, the crackdown does not focus on the entire structure’s collapse but rather on the deformation of the main plane, which causes separation from the DRS flap even when closed. The timing of the directive forces teams into quick fixes, and it will be intriguing to see who suffers the most from the changes.

The Chinese Grand Prix will help better quantify McLaren’s advantage over its rivals on a more representative track, hopefully in dry conditions. Ferrari remains convinced that its gap to the reigning champions is not as large as it appeared in Australia, while Red Bull aims to confirm that its successful setup window in Melbourne can be replicated. Meanwhile, Mercedes already seems resigned to an unbridgeable gap to McLaren, hoping for a surprise turnaround in China.

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Prominent sponsors, including UniCredit, Bitdefender, Richard Mille, and IBM, remain visible, maintaining Ferrari’s signature branding. The number 16 stands out in bold red, reinforcing Leclerc’s identity. A personal touch is added with the word “PAPA” inscribed, a tribute to his late father.

This striking helmet not only celebrates the return of Formula 1 to China but also reflects the Monegasque driver’s appreciation for cultural artistry. Fans eagerly anticipate seeing it in action as Ferrari aims for a strong performance on the demanding Shanghai circuit.

Here is a full photo gallery of Charles Leclerc’s helmet for the next F1 race weekend:

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Anthony and Lewis Hamilton
Back in the paddock, Isack Hadjar was consoled by Anthony Hamilton, Lewis’ father. It was a touching moment that the Frenchman reflected on more calmly during the pre-GP press conference in China, adding more details: “He told me that it reminded him of Lewis when he parked the car at the entrance of the pit lane in Shanghai – he explained, referring to Lewis Hamilton’s mistake during the 2007 Chinese GP, which was crucial to his loss in the world championship – it was a nice moment, spending time with someone like Anthony, my idol’s father. It was really special. Lewis sent me a message later that day, so they’re truly classy people.”

Back on track
Now, it’s time for Isack Hadjar to forget Melbourne and focus on Shanghai, which will coincide with the first Sprint weekend of the 2025 season, and he has positive feelings about the VCARB 02: “I’d say that by Monday I already felt much better, especially knowing that it’s a back-to-back weekend, so it’s nice to get back pretty quickly rather than having a month to dwell on it,” he added. “We were surprisingly fast, more than we expected. Looking at the Bahrain tests, it’s hard to really know where you stand in the midfield, you don’t know how much everyone is hiding or not, but heading to Melbourne, the car was really good, and from FP1 I think I had a really nice feel with the car. I was pretty comfortable, and I was very close to Yuki (Tsunoda), so I think there were many positive aspects performance-wise.” – he pointed out.

Shanghai, a novelty
For Isack Hadjar, however, the Shanghai circuit is a completely new experience, although the Frenchman has had the chance to study it in simulator sessions: “In terms of approach, I’d say I’m pretty used to this; for the past three years, this is what I’ve done in Formula 2 and Formula 3, with the FP and directly into qualifying with only a few laps of pushing. I know the approach, I know how to do it well, but obviously, I’d prefer to have three practice sessions.” – the Racing Bulls driver concluded ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

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