Lando Norris claimed pole during Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix in what proved to be a dramatic rain-affected session, with the Briton initially seeing his time deleted before it was reinstated.
The Sprint Qualifying session unfolded in a whirlwind of action as the top 10 contenders grappled with the challenging and slippery track conditions. Even seasoned drivers like Max Verstappen found themselves navigating off-track moments amidst the chaos. As the clock ticked down in the intense eight-minute session, it initially seemed like Lewis Hamilton had secured pole position. However, a turn of events occurred when Norris lost his time, propelling the McLaren driver to P1 with a swift lap time of 1m 57.940s.
“I’m extremely happy, first of all, a big thanks to the whole team,” said Noris post sprint qualifying. “It was tricky. Going into a session like this isn’t easy, especially before Sprint Quali when you know it’s going to rain. I was quite happy with how we were in the dry – we’ve had good pace all weekend so far, so it was a challenge heading into the session with changeable conditions, where you’ve got to push, build tyre temperature and get a lap in.
“There is still a chance of rain tomorrow, so if it’s like this, then I think our chances of a good result are relatively decent, but the race is very different to qualifying and I’m sure everyone is going to catch up a bit tomorrow. I think we’re in a good position and I’m very happy. The team did a good job, the car’s feeling good and so am I, and it’s paying off.”
Hamilton settled for P2, closely trailed by the impressive Fernando Alonso clinching third place. Verstappen, overcoming the adversities, secured a respectable fourth position on the grid. The lead Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz, held firm in fifth place, with Sergio Perez accompanying him on the third row in sixth.
Charles Leclerc, who had a mishap earlier in SQ3 sliding off track, managed to secure the seventh spot, with Oscar Piastri following closely behind in P8. The Kick Sauber duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu showcased a stellar performance, rounding out the top 10 and particularly shining for Zhou in front of his enthusiastic home supporters.
As rain began to fall during the final moments of SQ2, George Russell faced disappointment, forced to abandon his flying lap and settling for P11 as the session concluded. The Haas pair of Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg followed in 12th and 13th positions respectively. RB’s Daniel Ricciardo, also impacted by the rainfall, finished in 14th place. Lance Stroll was the final driver eliminated in SQ2, securing 15th position.
Alpine encountered further setbacks, with Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon exiting in P16 and P17 respectively, ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon in P18. Yuki Tsunoda’s unexpected elimination after failing to improve his time in the first segment left the RB driver in 19th place, while Logan Sargeant’s Williams would join him on the back row in 20th position.
