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Lewis Hamilton expressed his surprise and excitement after securing his first pole position for Ferrari in qualifying for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. The seven-time world champion edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by a mere two-hundredths of a second with an impressive lap in Shanghai. Hamilton’s unexpected achievement marks a major milestone in his transition to Ferrari and adds fresh excitement to the season.

From Struggles in Australia to Success in Shanghai

After a disappointing 10th-place finish in the season opener in Melbourne, where Hamilton faced difficulties with the variable conditions and his new team setup, the British driver and Ferrari made significant progress in just a few days.

“The last race was a disaster,” Hamilton said. “We knew the performance was there, we just couldn’t extract it. The team did an amazing job during the break. I’m still a bit in shock — I can’t believe we’re on pole for the sprint.”

Hamilton’s pole position is a clear sign of improvement for both him and Ferrari, who are now in a strong position heading into the weekend’s racing action. The feat also represents a promising new chapter in Hamilton’s career with the iconic Italian team.

McLaren Falters, Red Bull and Mercedes in the Mix

McLaren had been tipped to dominate after their impressive one-two finish in Australian qualifying. Lando Norris topped first practice and looked fast in qualifying but made costly mistakes in the final sector of both flying laps.

Norris was on track to claim pole before running wide at the hairpin, forcing him to abort his final attempt. He finished sixth, while teammate Oscar Piastri secured a strong third place, just 0.08 seconds behind Hamilton.

Norris reflected on the car’s handling difficulties, saying, “I locked up in the last corner. The car’s fast, but hard to drive. Too many mistakes today.”

Hamilton’s Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, who had outpaced him in Australia, took fourth, two-tenths off Hamilton’s time.

Max Verstappen, who qualified second, placed his Red Bull on the front row but admitted that the car is still lagging behind McLaren in terms of raw pace. Verstappen’s new teammate, Liam Lawson, endured a difficult session, qualifying last after struggling to get his tyres up to temperature.

Mercedes showed signs of improvement, with George Russell finishing in fifth, while rookie Kimi Antonelli secured seventh, providing hope for the team to achieve stronger results this weekend.

Sprint Race Showdown Ahead

As the first sprint race of the season approaches, Hamilton’s unexpected pole position has added an exciting twist to an already unpredictable championship battle. With Ferrari’s new-found speed, combined with McLaren’s struggles and Red Bull’s ongoing challenges, the sprint race promises to deliver more drama as the season progresses.