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Lewis Hamilton delivered a stunning performance in Shanghai, securing his first pole position for Ferrari during sprint qualifying ahead of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. In doing so, the seven-time world champion shattered Michael Schumacher’s long-standing lap record of 1:32.238, which had remained untouched since 2004. Hamilton’s blistering lap of 1:30.849 not only placed him at the top of the timesheets but also marked a significant milestone in his debut season with Ferrari.
A Historic Lap in Shanghai
The result came as a major turnaround for Hamilton, who had a disappointing start to the season in Australia, finishing a lowly 10th place. After a modest showing in the opening practice session on Friday, where he posted the fourth-fastest time, expectations remained tempered. However, Hamilton found his rhythm when it mattered most.
Late Surge Secures Pole
The battle for pole was intense, with McLaren’s Lando Norris initially looking strong in SQ2. But a critical mistake on his final lap forced him to abort, opening the door for Hamilton to seize the moment. With less than a minute remaining, Hamilton put in a flawless lap, edging Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.018 seconds. McLaren’s Oscar Piastri secured third place, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fourth, and Mercedes’ George Russell completing the top five.
Hamilton, visibly thrilled with the result, reflected on his achievement: “I didn’t expect that result, but so, so happy and so proud. I think obviously the last race was a disaster. Clearly, we knew that there was more performance in the car but we just weren’t able to extract it,” he said, referencing his struggles in Melbourne.
“So to come here to a track that I love — and the car really came alive. The team did a fantastic job to get the car ready and yeah, I’m a bit in shock.”
With this confidence-boosting result, Hamilton and Ferrari will now look to carry their momentum into the sprint race and the main Grand Prix, as they aim to mount a serious championship challenge in 2025.
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