Lewis Hamilton was admittedly astonished after securing Sprint pole position for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Following significant anticipation surrounding his move from Mercedes after a 12-year tenure, Hamilton experienced a disappointing Ferrari debut in Australia, finishing tenth.
His performance, coupled with McLaren’s perceived advantage, lowered expectations heading into the first Sprint event of the season in Shanghai. However, Hamilton defied predictions with an exceptional lap, claiming his first pole position for Ferrari.
“I’m truly gobsmacked, taken aback by it. I wasn’t sure when we would reach this point,” Hamilton confessed.
“After last weekend, it was a tough start to the week. We arrived here with determination, aiming to prepare the car effectively for the weekend.”
“I immediately felt more comfortable in the car. I’m amazed we’re at the front, ahead of McLaren, who have appeared so quick throughout winter testing, Australia, and even today.”
“I’m incredibly thankful to be competing with these outstanding drivers and to be so competitive with these top teams.”
Hamilton will share the front row for Saturday’s Sprint with his long-time rival Max Verstappen, who capitalized on McLaren’s unexpected dip in performance to secure second place for Red Bull.
Oscar Piastri leads McLaren in third, while Lando Norris, the winner in Melbourne, finished sixth.
Hamilton significantly outperformed his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who qualified fourth, while George Russell, Hamilton’s former Mercedes teammate, secured fifth.
Hamilton added, “I didn’t anticipate this result, but I’m incredibly happy and proud.”
“The previous race was disastrous for us, and we knew the car had more potential, but we couldn’t unlock it.”
“Coming to a track I adore, Shanghai, a beautiful place, with amazing weather, the car felt alive from the very first lap.”
“We implemented some excellent changes, and the team did an exceptional job during the break to prepare the car.”
“I’m still in shock. I can’t believe we achieved pole position for the Sprint. It sets us up well for the race.”
Hamilton Hopes to ‘Hold On’ in Sprint
While Hamilton surpassed McLaren in qualifying, they demonstrated impressive pace in longer practice runs. They, along with Verstappen, pose a significant threat in the Sprint.
Hamilton enters the Sprint with limited long-run experience in the SF-25, due to a technical issue in pre-season testing and a chaotic wet race in Australia.
He stated, “I didn’t complete a race simulation in Bahrain testing, and last weekend’s race was wet. Tomorrow will be my first proper long race stint, followed by my first full dry race on Sunday with this car.”
“I hope we can maintain our position, but I anticipate strong competition from McLaren and Max.”
“However, we are in a favorable position. We’ll remain positive, keep our spirits high, and continue pushing forward.”
