Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will line up on the front row of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix sprint race – something the drivers haven’t done since the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix.
“I am very happy,” Max Verstappen told Formula 1 after qualifying second for the the sprint in China. “I do think that in the first practice we were quite a bit off, so I’m very happy to be on the front row honestly. The lap was very good.”
The reigning champion is certainly maintaining a measured assessment of Red Bull’s current position in the pecking order. Not currently displaying the level of dominance the team had in 2023 or even 2024, this front row duel could be a tough one for Verstappen who will be starting on the left side of the track, unable to cover the inside of Turn 1.
“When you look at it you know it was 0.018s off pole, but I don’t think we should have even been on the front row anyway, so I’m very happy to be second,” Verstappen admitted.
The last time these two drivers lined up side by side was the 2023 Hungarian Grand Prix. Here, Hamilton had broken a long pole position drought that dated back to the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where he beat Verstappen by just 0.003 seconds. Unfortunately for Hamilton, he was unable to fight off the attacking Dutchman, with the Red Bull driver taking the lead on the first turn of the race. This set the tone for the remainder of the race, with the Milton Keynes driver claiming the win.
Their rivalry has evolved substantially since 2021 and their legendary battle for the championship. While 2023 saw them both in different machinery – Verstappen in a dominant RB19 and Hamilton in a Mercedes car substantially slower – the 2025 sprint race promises more of an even battle, one that could even favour the Ferrari driver.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W14, battle for the lead at the start
Photo by: Steve Etherington / Motorsport Images
But it might not be Ferrari that Verstappen is worried about as he remains cautious of Red Bull’s prospects:
“I think they [McLaren] looked very fast up until that last run so I think it will be very hard to keep them behind,” he admitted, wary of the Papaya machinery sat behind him in fourth and sixth. But the driver is looking forward to having an exciting start.
“Hopefully it’ll be fun, hopefully we are all… I don’t want to say close… but hopefully we can race a bit around, you know? That would be nice for me.”
Will the old foes lock horns once again in much more equal machinery? Tomorrow’s sprint race is going to be an exciting one as the rivalry promises a sequel.
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