Key events
We are under way. It’s very, very hot in Shanghai but it’s still soft tyres for almost all the drivers in this first qualifying session.
In the constructors’ standings McLaren (35) lead Mercedes (34) by a single point, with Red Bull (24) and Ferrari (17) a little further back. Can any of the other constructors send a message in qualifying? Alpine and Haas are still without a point.
Driver standings after Hamilton wins sprint race
Incredibly, that was Ferrari’s first ever win in a sprint race. Who else but Lewis Hamilton to secure it? Here are the updated driver standings:
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Norris – 26
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Verstappen – 24
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Russell – 20
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Antonelli – 14
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Albon – 10
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Piastri – 9
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Hamilton – 9
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Stroll – 8
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Leclerc – 8
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Hulkenberg – 6
Preamble
Morning all and welcome to our coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix. It’s qualifying first up in Shanghai today. But the news we can bring you already is that Lewis Hamilton has his first win in Ferrari red – he led from the front to claim victory in the sprint race, with Oscar Piastri second and Max Verstappen third.
“It is the sprint race not the main one but it is a good stepping stone,” said a beaming Hamilton, who revealed his team had made some changes to their car this weekend. He may be 40 but he’s still making waves in this sport, now in that iconic Italian car.
It will be fascinating to see whether Hamilton can keep that kind of pace up when qualifying begins later this morning. Lando Norris will have hopes of building on his win in last week’s Australian GP curtain-raiser with the signs also good for his fellow McLaren Piastri. It’s been a stuttering start to the season for Verstappen and Red Bull, so they’ll be keen to lay down some kind of marker.
Let’s do this. Qualifying begins shortly.