Sebastian Vettel record broken as Lewis Hamilton takes first Ferrari pole at Chinese Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton has made history at the Shanghai International Circuit as he takes his first pole position for Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion will line up at the front of the grid for the first Sprint race of 2025. Max Verstappen was just 18 thousandths of a second off Hamilton and will start next to him in second.

Many expected McLaren to blitz the field given their clear pace advantage over the rest of the pack. But it was not to be for the Woking-based outfit as Oscar Piastri was 80 thousandths off pole in third while Lando Norris could only manage third.

Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc is fourth for the Sprint while the Brit’s former Mercedes teammate George Russell completes the top five. But all the attention is on Ferrari’s newest driver as he secured his first pole in red in just his second race.

It may not be pole for the main Grand Prix, but it marks a significant improvement on his debut for Ferrari at the Australian Grand Prix. And Hamilton gets to enjoy a new record to go with it.

Lewis Hamilton beats Sebastian Vettel’s 2018 time for the fastest lap in Shanghai with Sprint pole for Ferrari

Sebastian Vettel set the lap record around the Shanghai International Circuit with his pole lap for Ferrari in 2018 – a time of 1:31:095. Given the new track surface and faster cars in 2025, this year’s Chinese Grand Prix was looking on course to see that lap beaten.

McLaren established their pace in SQ1 and SQ2, with one of their drivers looking almost guaranteed to take pole. But Ferrari and Hamilton had been strong all day and showed it when it mattered to take the top spot for the Sprint.

With a time of 1:30:849, the 40-year-old has set the fastest lap ever seen in Shanghai. It is a major confidence boost for Hamilton going into the rest of the weekend given his disappointment in Australia.

Ferrari could only manage the fourth row of the grid in qualifying last time out and Hamilton struggled to make progress during the race. Ferrari’s ‘crisis’ with strategy in the changeable weather conditions cost the team valuable points.

Hamilton finished P10 on debut for the Maranello outfit while Leclerc managed eighth. Ferrari scored fewer points than Sauber in Melbourne but look set to right the wrongs in Shanghai.

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Lewis Hamilton silences critics after Australia with team radio to Riccardo Adami after Sprint pole

Hamilton’s debut for Ferrari was a disaster by his own admission in Melbourne. Lando Norris was shocked by Ferrari’s pace in the Grand Prix – he had expected them to be right with McLaren at the front.

But a botched strategy call and difficult weather conditions ultimately cost the Maranello outfit. Another key talking point was Hamilton’s team radio with new race engineer Riccardo Adami.

The Brit was often heard agitated over the radio with the information his engineer was providing. Hamilton was ‘disappointed’ Ferrari did not warn him about the second rain shower – he had been briefly leading before Ferrari called him into the pits.

Many people felt radio communication was a key area the team had to work on in Shanghai and that the 40-year-old was already having friction with his engineer. Hamilton silenced Ferrari’s critics with his radio exchange to Adami after securing pole – he was were laughing on his cooldown lap.