Piastri claims first pole position as Russell denies McLaren a one-two

Oscar Piastri will start the Chinese Grand Prix from pole position after breaking the track record in Shanghai.

Q1

For the second qualifying session in a row this weekend, Liam Lawson was not only eliminated in Q1, but last of all. But in an incredibly close session, he was only two-tenths of a second away from making the cut for Q2.

Lawson’s final run was compromised when Pierre Gasly passed him before the last corner to lead him onto the start-finish straight. “I honestly don’t know why he needed to do that,” Lawson remarked.

Part of the answer was that it helped Gasly beat Lawson’s time. However that wasn’t quite enough for him to make the cut either. He led the drop zone at the end of Q1, six hundredths of a second away from progressing.

His team mate Jack Doohan spun during the session, and although he resumed he joined his team mate in elimination: Alpine the only team to lose both cars in the first round.

Two other rookies went no further. Having beaten his team mate in his first two qualifying sessions, Gabriel Bortoleto dropped out, as did Oliver Bearman.

In stark contrast to Lawson, Verstappen’s first run was so strong he didn’t need to join the rush at the end of the session. Norris moved to the top of the times during the final flurry, followed by the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda.

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Q1 result

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Q2

Norris asserted himself in the second round of qualifying, producing a 1’30.787 to comfortably head the times. Piastri backed him up in second place to begin with, and although Verstappen split the McLarens by the end of the session, he was still over three tenths of a second slower than Norris.

Hamilton appeared to have the pace to join them at the front but had a poor run through the final sector. That wasn’t enough to offer an opportunity for those looking to escape the drop zone, however, as he went through in eighth along with team mate Leclerc.

Isack Hadjar produced an excellent lap at the end of the session to reach Q3 for the first time at an unfamiliar circuit, a few thousandths of a second quicker than team mate Yuki Tsunoda.

Alexander Albon nabbed the final place in Q3 by three hundredths of a second. Carlos Sainz Jnr was almost three tenths of a second behind in the other Williams, and so tight was the field that he will start down in 15th.

Between them were the four others who dropped out. Nico Hulkenberg was poised to perform heroics for Sauber but slipped two places to 12th on the final runs. Esteban Ocon claimed 11th while Fernando Alonso beat Lance Stroll as Aston Martin claimed the seventh row.

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Q2 result

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Q3

McLaren did better on their first runs in Q3 than they did in Melbourne. Piastri set the initial pace with a 1’30.703, while Norris all-but matched his best time from Q2, slotting into second.

They displaced Verstappen, who was first to set a flying time, but Hamilton fell short of demoting the Red Bull by a mere two hundredths of a second. Russell ran two preparation laps and went fifth, separating Hamilton from Leclerc. Antonelli’s best time was only good enough for ninth, and then his time was deleted for a track limits infringement.

Verstappen had to contend with Hadjar’s Racing Bulls being waved into his path as he headed out for his final run. The stewards noted a potential unsafe release.

Few drivers managed to improve on their final runs. Verstappen set the quickest time through the first sector, which Norris almost matched, but both lost time through the middle of the lap, so much so that Norris abandoned his effort. Hamilton also couldn’t find any more time.

Piastri could, however, setting a new track record with a lap of 1’30.641. But McLaren’s hopes of another front row lock-out were ended by Russell, who was one of the last drivers to finish his lap and split the two orange cars to join Piastri on the front row.

While the Ferraris claimed the third row, Hadjar impressively took seventh on the grid ahead of Antonelli, Tsunoda and Albon.

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Q3 result

2025 Chinese Grand Prix

• Hadjar ends Tsunoda’s nine-race run of out-qualifying his team mate: Qualifying data
• Piastri was “genuinely struggling” in qualifying before clinching first pole
• 2025 Chinese Grand Prix grid
• Piastri claims first pole position as Russell denies McLaren a one-two
• As it happened: 2025 Chinese Grand Prix qualifying

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