Chinese Grand Prix 2025: F1 coverage from SB Nation

The grid is set for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix.

Oscar Piastri, thanks to the “hairpin of [his] life,” stormed to the front of the field to capture his first Grand Prix pole position. He nipped George Russell for P1 in a thrilling qualifying session and will start right in front of his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who will start third.

When the Formula 1 grid arrived in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix there was every expectation that a McLaren would be on pole position.

That is indeed the case as Oscar Piastri stormed to the front to secure the first Grand Prix pole position of his young career, ahead of George Russell and teammate Lando Norris.

Lewis Hamilton’s first race weekend as a Ferrari driver ended on a down note, as he finished tenth in the Australian Grand Prix.

His second is off to a much better start, as he starts in pole position at the F1 Sprint Race at the Shanghai Grand Prix.

When qualifying for the F1 Sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix began, Lando Norris was the favorite. The McLaren driver, fresh off an impressive performance to begin the year at the Australian Grand Prix, topped the timing sheets in the single practice session, was second fastest in SQ1, and was fastest in SQ2.

But when the checkered flag flew to close out SQ3 Norris was down in P6 and it was the driver who nipped him in SQ1 — new Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton — who was sitting in pole position.

When the 2024 F1 Academy season began, Mercedes driver Doriane Pin was considered the favorite to take top honors. Pin’s extensive motorsport experience with the Iron Dames in the World Endurance Championship, and a championship in the Ferrari Challenge, put her at the top of the list of contenders heading into the schedule.

Pin certainly got out to a hot start, capturing pole position for both races at the F1 Academy season-opener at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, and leading every lap in both races to claim victory.

Given the fact that his Formula 1 debut at the Australian Grand Prix ended before it began, with a spin on the formation lap, you might expect Isack Hadjar to have some trepidation ahead of this week’s Chinese Grand Prix.

But that could not be further from the truth.

Last November in Sin City Max Verstappen crossed the line fifth, one spot ahead of Lando Norris.

But it was enough for the Red Bull driver to secure his fourth consecutive F1 Drivers’ Championship, leaving Norris to fight for second in the standings, and wonder what might have been.

Formula 1’s 75th campaign delivered some surprises in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. The drivers on the podium were largely in line with expectations, as Lando Norris held off Max Verstappen to claim victory while George Russell finished third. But the rest of the top ten delivered some surprises.

Perhaps the biggest? Nico Hülkenberg finished seventh for Sauber, delivering six critical points for the team after they finished last in the Constructors’ Championship a season ago.

Mercedes saw their 2025 Formula 1 season get off to an incredible start at the Australian Grand Prix, with George Russell finishing third to secure the team’s first podium of the season and rookie Kimi Antonelli finishing less than two seconds behind him, placing fourth in his F1 debut.

Now the team heads to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix level on points with McLaren at the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings. While Lando Norris’ win in Melbourne gives McLaren the tiebreaker in the standings, this was a strong start for the Silver Arrows.