Lewis Hamilton stated he was ‘in shock’ upon achieving pole position for Saturday’s sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix, only in his second race weekend with Ferrari.
The seven-time world champion surpassed his long-time rival Max Verstappen to secure the fastest time by 0.018 seconds, while Lando Norris, who demonstrated quicker pace than Hamilton in the initial two sectors, made an error by going wide at Turn 14, ultimately finishing sixth.
This result signifies a remarkable turnaround following Hamilton’s tenth-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix season opener in wet conditions. He seemed genuinely surprised by his car’s performance.
‘I didn’t anticipate this outcome,’ he admitted. ‘But I’m incredibly happy and proud. It’s clear the previous race was a disaster for us. We were aware of the car’s latent potential, but struggled to unlock it.
‘Coming to Shanghai, a track I adore, a beautiful location, and with fantastic weather, the car truly came alive from the very first lap.
‘I was uncertain when we’d reach this position, particularly after a challenging start to the week following the last race. I aimed to approach this weekend aggressively, determined to optimize the car. From the outset, I experienced improved car feel and I’m still finding it hard to believe we’re at the front,’ he said.
‘We implemented significant changes, and the team performed exceptionally well during the break to prepare the car. I am somewhat in disbelief. Securing pole in the sprint is astonishing.
‘While it’s not the main race, we still have work ahead for tomorrow. Nevertheless, this sets us up favorably for the race.’
Hamilton mentioned entering the weekend with pre-considered setup adjustments to enhance his Ferrari’s performance, yet remained puzzled about the extent of improvement after exiting the car.
‘I’m genuinely unsure. I need to review the data. My first sector was exceptionally strong, likely where I gained most time on that lap.
‘However, it was composed of minor gains throughout the entire circuit. There’s certainly more time to be found, which I aim to apply in the upcoming qualifying session. It’s incredible to see the number one displayed as you stop and to be in the red car. It’s quite remarkable.’
Hamilton noted that Saturday’s 19-lap sprint race would mark his inaugural experience driving the Ferrari in dry race conditions, as preseason testing issues had previously prevented him from completing a race simulation.
‘I didn’t manage a race simulation in Bahrain, and the previous race was in wet conditions,’ Hamilton explained. ‘Therefore, tomorrow will serve as my first extended run or race simulation, and Sunday will be my first full race simulation in dry conditions with this car.
‘I’m hopeful we can maintain this, although I anticipate McLaren and Max to be very quick. However, we are in a strong position. We will remain positive, stay focused, and continue pushing forward.’
Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who will start fourth on the grid for Saturday, commented: ‘I’ve been struggling on my side of the garage from the start. I felt a step behind Lewis, and he was simply faster today.
‘I struggled considerably in Turns 1, 2, 3, experiencing similar issues to last year, which is disappointing. However, aside from that, everything was very close. It’s unfortunate to start P4, but Lewis is on pole, and hopefully we can have a successful race together tomorrow.’
