Oscar Piastri has a first Grand Prix pole position, the McLaren driver beating George Russell by 0.082s in qualifying in China.

The McLaren driver clocked a 1:30.641 to beat Russell with Lando Norris qualifying third.

Liam Lawson’s troubles continue in Chinese GP qualifying

After huge tyre wear issues during Saturday’s 19-lap Sprint, there were setup changes taking place up and down the pit lane in the build-up to qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix – a lot more on Charles Leclerc’s side of the Ferrari than Lewis Hamilton’s.

15 of the 20 drivers queued at the end of the pit lane, not only waiting for the green light but lowering the tyre pressure that’s mandated by Pirelli as they sat.

Lance Stroll posted the opening gambit, a 1:33.0, but quickly dropped to P12 with Oscar Piastri quickest of all with a 1:31.6. Lando Norris’ lap time was deleted for track limits, Max Verstappen took over at the top by a tenth and Jack Doohan, fresh from earning two penalty points for his Sprint collision, went spinning.

With five minutes remaining, Kimi Antonelli, Liam Lawson, Doohan, Charles Leclerc and Norris were in the drop zone. Antonelli went third, Norris P7 and Leclerc only P13. Lawson and Doohan were still in trouble, and in the pits.

As everyone barring Verstappen completed a final flying lap, Norris went fastest ahead of Racing Bulls team-mates of Isack Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda.

Lawson once again found himself on the list of drivers eliminated at the very first hurdle, the New Zealander down in 20th place. He went out along with Pierre Gasly, Oliver Bearman, Doohan and Gabriel Bortoleto.

The important numbers after qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix

👉 2025 Chinese Grand Prix – Qualifying F1 results (Shanghai)

👉 The updated Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championship standings

Alonso and Sainz eliminated in Q2

The drivers headed out of the pit lane for Q2 with some running new soft tyres, and others on used tyres. That didn’t stop George Russell and Kimi Antonelli from slotting into the 1-2 before the McLarens came to the fore, Norris 0.4s up on Piastri.

Verstappen went third while Stroll, Esteban Ocon, Hadjar, Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz sat in the drop zone.

Back out for a second run having fallen to sixth, Antonelli reported that the “magic is stuck” as he slowly toured the circuit. The issue seemingly fixed, he started a flying lap.

While Norris sat in the pits, confident in his 1:30.7, Antonelli could only improve as far as ninth place while Alex Albon went P10 in the Williams. And out went Ocon, Nico Hulkenberg, Alonso, Stroll and Sainz.

Oscar Piastri grabs pole position in China

Heading out for Q3 with the coveted pole position slot on the line, Verstappen clocked a 1:30.9 as the benchmark time to beat. And beat it is exactly what Piastri did, two-tenths quicker than the Red Bull driver while Hamilton slotted into third place.

Norris made it a McLaren 1-2, relegated Verstappen off of the front row. He was 0.09s slower than his team-mate. Antonelli lost his opening lap time for exceeding track limits.

Heading out for a second run, Hadjar was released into the path of Verstappen who had to take to the slow lane to avoid a collision with the Racing Bulls.

Verstappen went purple in the first sector but wasn’t able to improve overall. Neither was Norris as he aborted his lap, all but handing Piastri pole position.

Although he couldn’t improve his time, his 1:30.641 was enough for pole position with Russell coming through to snatch second place from Norris.

Piastri’s radio to message: “Very nicely done. Thank you. I’ve just had a little scream in my helmet, so I’ll not burst your eardrums but, thanks everyone.”

Chinese Grand Prix Qualifying Result

1 Oscar Piastri McLaren 1:30.641
2 George Russell Mercedes +0.082
3 Lando Norris McLare +0.152
4 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing +0.176
5 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari +0.286
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari +0.380
7 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls +0.438
8 Andrea Kimi Antonelli Mercedes +0.462
9 Yuki Tsunoda Racing Bulls +0.997
10 Alexander Albon Williams +1.065

11 Esteban Ocon Haas 1:31.625
12 Nico Hulkenberg Sauber 1:31.632
13 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 1:31.688
14 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 1:31.773
15 Carlos Sainz Williams 1:31.840
16 Pierre Gasly Alpine 1:31.992
17 Oliver Bearman Haas 1:32.018
18 Jack Doohan Alpine 1:32.092
19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber 1:32.141
20 Liam Lawson Red Bull 1:32.492

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