F1 Chinese Grand Prix LIVE: Qualifying updates in Shanghai as Max Verstappen claims Red Bull’s 100th pole
Formula 1 updates from the Shanghai International Circuit as China hosts the first sprint weekend of the season
Lewis Hamilton’s troubled start to the new season took another desperate twist on Saturday after he qualified a lowly 18th for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Hamilton earlier in the day had led the sprint race in Shanghai for eight laps before he had to settle for runner-up after he was overtaken by eventual winner Max Verstappen.
But less than four hours after Hamilton’s drive to second place - a result he described as his “best in a long time” - the 39-year-old was brought crashing back down to earth when he was eliminated in the opening phase of qualifying for Sunday’s main event.
The seven-time world champion locked up at the penultimate corner on his speediest lap, and he finished in the Q1 knockout zone, leaving only RB’s Yuki Tsunoda and Williams’ Logan Sargeant behind him on the grid.
Verstappen beat Hamilton by an impressive 13 seconds in Saturday’s sprint and he raced to a perhaps predictable pole position.
The Dutch driver, who is on course to take his fourth consecutive world championship, saw off team-mate Sergio Perez as Red Bull secured a front-row lockout. It also marked Red Bull’s 100th pole in F1.
Verstappen finished 0.322 seconds clear of Perez, with Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso third. Lando Norris, who dropped from pole to finish sixth in the sprint race, qualified fourth ahead of Oscar Piastri in the other McLaren.
Charles Leclerc and Sainz finished sixth and seventh respectively for Ferrari, while George Russell could manage only eighth on a poor afternoon for the Silver Arrows.
Follow live coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix with The Independent
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q2
No times as yet, but a lot of cars were stacked up trying to leave the pits. All the drivers will be on soft tyres after Ferrari’s experiment earlier did not deliver the hoped-for results.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q2
There are just over 10 minutes left of Q2 and the drivers are starting to make their way out onto the track.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q2
Q2 is underway, who will reach Q3 and a chance to compete for the top 10 places?
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1 OUT
16) Zhou
17) Magnussen
18) Hamilton
19) Tsunoda
20) Sargeant
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
Lewis Hamilton has been knocked out in Q1. Toto Wolff can only look on as the seven-time world champion will start the Chinese Grand Prix in 18th.
Nico Rosberg can only say “that is a disaster”. The first time since Jeddah in 2022 that Hamilton has gone out in Q1.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
Hamilton will only be 12th with his flying lap. Verstappen goes quickest. Hamilton is out of qualifying in Q1!
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
A yellow flag briefly came out that might have affected a few of them. Home favourite Zhou has moved into 9th. Hamilton is currently in 19th but he has started a flying lap.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
No further investigation needed say the stewards for Perez’s frustration at Albon, and the Red Bull driver goes sixth fastest with his first out lap.
Hamilton and Ricciardo need to post a time with the two and a half minutes remaining.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
Four minutes left and the current drivers at risk are Sargeant, Ricciardo, Norris, Hamilton, Magnussen and Perez.
F1 Qualifying LIVE - Q1
There are just more than five minutes left of Q1, and Perez is the only driver who has yet to post a time.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies