F1 GP China: Piastri Pole, Hamilton 5th
Piastri Secures First F1 Pole at Chinese Grand Prix, Hamilton to Start Fifth
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Shanghai, march 22, 2025
Oscar Piastri of McLaren secured his first Formula 1 pole position during qualifying for teh Chinese Grand Prix. The session was held at the Shanghai International Circuit on Saturday.
Piastri recorded a fastest lap time of 1 minute,30.641 seconds.
George Russell of Mercedes will start second, followed by Piastri’s McLaren teammate, Lando Norris, in third.
World champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing qualified fourth.
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who won the sprint race earlier in the day, will start from fifth position.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified sixth.
Rounding out the top 10 are Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda, and Alex Albon.
Qualifying Results – F1 GP China
| Pos | Racer | Team | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar piastri | McLaren F1 Team | 1m31.591s | 1m31.200s | 1m30.641s |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1m31.295s | 1m31.307s | 1m30.723s |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren F1 Team | 1m30.983s | 1m30.787s | 1m30.793s |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1m31.424s | 1m31.234s | 1m30.817s |
| 5 | Lewis Hamilton | Scuderia Ferrari HP | 1m31.690s | 1m31.501s | 1m30.927s |
| 6 | Charles Leclerc | Scuderia Ferrari HP | 1m31.579s | 1m31.450s | 1m31.021s |
| 7 | Isack Hadjar | visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team | 1m31.162s | 1m31.253s | 1m31.079s |
| 8 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1m31.676s | 1m31.590s | 1m31.103s |
| 9 | Yuki Tsunoda | Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team | 1m31.238s | 1m31.425s | 1m31.638s |
| 10 | Alex Albon | Atlassian Williams Racing | 1m31.503s | 1m31.595s | 1m31.706s |
| 11 | Esteban Ocon | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team | 1m31.876s | 1m31.625s | |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber | 1m31.921s | 1m31.632s | |
| 13 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team | 1m31.719s | 1m31.688s | |
| 14 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin Aramco F1 Team | 1m31.923s | 1m31.773s | |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Atlassian Williams Racing | 1m31.628s | 1m31.840s | |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | BWT Alpine F1 Team | 1m31.992s | ||
| 17 | Oliver Bearman | MoneyGram Haas F1 Team | 1m32.018s | ||
| 18 | Jack Doohan | BWT Alpine F1 Team | 1m32.092s | ||
| 19 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber | 1m32.141s | ||
| 20 | Liam Lawson | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1m32.174s |
F1 China Grand Prix Qualifying: your Top Questions Answered
Who Secured Pole Position at the Chinese Grand Prix in 2025?
Oscar Piastri of McLaren achieved his first Formula 1 pole position during the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix. The session was held on Saturday at the Shanghai International Circuit. Piastri’s fastest lap time was 1 minute, 30.641 seconds.
Why is this meaningful? This marks Piastri’s first time starting from the top of the grid in his F1 career.
What Was the Final Qualifying Order for the Top 10?
The top 10 finishers in the qualifying for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix are:
- Oscar Piastri (mclaren F1 Team)
- George Russell (Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team)
- Lando Norris (McLaren F1 Team)
- Max Verstappen (Oracle Red Bull Racing)
- Lewis Hamilton (Scuderia Ferrari HP)
- Charles Leclerc (Scuderia Ferrari HP)
- Isack Hadjar (Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team)
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team)
- Yuki Tsunoda (Visa Cash App Racing Bulls F1 Team)
- Alex Albon (Atlassian Williams Racing)
How Did Lewis Hamilton Perform in Qualifying?
Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari qualified in fifth place for the Chinese Grand Prix. Earlier in the day, Hamilton won the sprint race.
What Were the Qualifying Times for Oscar Piastri?
Here’s a breakdown of Oscar Piastri’s qualifying times:
Q1: 1 minute, 31.591 seconds
Q2: 1 minute, 31.200 seconds
Q3: 1 minute, 30.641 seconds
Who Else Made It Into Q3?
In addition to the top 10, these drivers made it to Q3:
Esteban ocon
Nico Hulkenberg
Fernando Alonso
Lance Stroll
* Carlos Sainz
What Were the Qualifying Times for Key Drivers?
| Driver | Team | Q1 Time | Q2 time | Q3 Time |
| —————— | ——————————- | ———— | ———— | ———— |
| Oscar Piastri | McLaren F1 Team | 1m31.591s | 1m31.200s | 1m30.641s |
| George Russell | Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team | 1m31.295s | 1m31.307s | 1m30.723s |
| Lando Norris | McLaren F1 Team | 1m30.983s | 1m30.787s | 1m30.793s |
| Max Verstappen | Oracle Red Bull Racing | 1m31.424s | 1m31.234s | 1m30.817s |
| Lewis Hamilton | Scuderia Ferrari HP | 1m31.690s | 1m31.501s | 1m30.927s |
| Charles Leclerc | Scuderia Ferrari HP | 1m31.579s | 1m31.450s | 1m31.021s |