F1 | Chinese GP – LIVE Sprint Qualifying Commentary: hunt for first pole of the weekend is on. Follow our live coverage of the Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying.

Follow our live coverage of the Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying, as teams battle for the weekend’s first pole position.

After just one hour of free practice, Formula 1 takes to the track for the Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying, covered in our live commentary. The circuit near Shanghai has undergone major changes compared to 2024, with a completely new asphalt surface, creating an unknown variable for the teams. With only 60 minutes of preparation, teams lack a clear picture of conditions as they head into the first Sprint Qualifying session of 2025.

2025 Sprint Qualifying Regulations

The regulations for the additional qualifying sessions during Sprint weekends remain unchanged from 2024. As in the previous season, there will be three sessions—SQ1, SQ2, and SQ3, lasting 12, 10, and 8 minutes, respectively. During these three sessions, teams are required to use specific tire compounds: mediums for SQ1 and SQ2, while in SQ3, they may use soft tires, though they do not necessarily have to be new.

Ferrari searching for answers in Chinese GP qualifying

The SF-25 has started 2025 with performances that have certainly not met fans’ expectations. The Maranello team has had to find a technical compromise to avoid further complications. Many theories have emerged regarding this performance setback, ranging from gearbox issues to a possible excessive reliance on the “trick”.

While Ferrari has underwhelmed, McLaren is striking fear into the competition, with an MCL39 that won the Melbourne GP and impressed everyone. Behind the reigning champions, the battle appears to be tight between Red Bull and Mercedes, with the latter boosted by Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who surprised in his debut.

— see video above —