Norris clinches pole in dramatic wet sprint qualifying at Chinese GP
Lando Norris takes pole position after a thrilling, rain-affected Sprint Qualifying session in Shanghai, holding off Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
Lando Norris emerged victorious in a chaotic Sprint Qualifying session, securing pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix amidst challenging wet conditions. The British driver initially saw his lap time deleted but it was later reinstated, allowing him to take the top spot.
The SQ3 segment was nothing short of frenetic as drivers grappled with the slippery track. Max Verstappen had several off-track excursions, while Lewis Hamilton momentarily claimed pole before Norris's lap of 1m 57.940s was reinstated, placing the McLaren driver in P1. Hamilton settled for P2, followed by an impressive performance from Fernando Alonso in third and Verstappen in fourth.
Carlos Sainz led the Ferrari contingent in fifth, with Sergio Perez lining up alongside him in sixth. Charles Leclerc, after going off track earlier in SQ3, managed P7. Oscar Piastri secured P8, while the Kick Sauber duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu rounded out the top 10, much to the delight of Zhou's home crowd.
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George Russell was among those affected by the sudden rain at the end of SQ2, leading to an aborted flying lap and leaving him in P11. The Haas drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, followed in 12th and 13th respectively, while Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo took 14th. Lance Stroll was the last to be eliminated in SQ2, placing 15th.
Alpine’s Struggles Continue
It was a disappointing session for Alpine, with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon bowing out in SQ1, finishing 16th and 17th. They were followed by Alex Albon of Williams in 18th. Yuki Tsunoda’s attempt to improve his time fell short, leaving him 19th, with Williams’ Logan Sargeant rounding out the grid in 20th.
Lando Norris starts at the front, with Hamilton alongside him, promising an exciting race ahead at the Chinese Grand Prix.
