Hamilton dominates China F1 Sprint, wins ahead of Piastri

Lewis Hamilton silences doubters with a vintage drive, holding off Verstappen and Piastri in a dramatic Shanghai Sprint showdown.

Formula 1 returned to China with a bang this weekend, kicking off the Grand Prix weekend with the first Sprint Race of the season — a 100-kilometer dash where the top eight finishers earn championship points (8 for the winner, down to 1 for eighth). It’s the first of six Sprint events on the 2025 calendar, and it didn’t disappoint.

Hamilton Steals the Spotlight

Lewis Hamilton stunned the grid by securing pole position for the Sprint on Friday, edging out championship leader Max Verstappen. Behind them, young stars Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc lined up on the second row. George Russell and Lando Norris followed, with rookie sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Yuki Tsunoda just behind.

Rounding out the top ten were Alex Albon and Lance Stroll, while Fernando Alonso and Oliver Bearman just missed out. Further down the grid, Carlos Sainz, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, and Jack Doohan prepared for a tough fight. Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon, and Liam Lawson lined up near the back, with Nico Hülkenberg starting from the pit lane after a suspension tweak.

Conditions were warm and dry — 23°C air temperature and 36°C on track — ideal for racing.

Race Recap: Hamilton Holds Strong, Drama Behind

Lights out! Hamilton launched perfectly and held his lead through the opening corners.

• Lap 1: Norris fumbled the start, slipping back to P3, while Russell got past Leclerc for fourth.
• Lap 2: Hamilton built nearly a second gap to Verstappen, with Piastri close behind in third. Further back, Tsunoda impressed with a lightning start, while Antonelli held firm in seventh.
• Lap 3: Hamilton clocked the fastest lap and kept Verstappen out of DRS range.
• Laps 4–6: Gaps stayed tight. Verstappen struggled to close in, and Antonelli started closing the gap to Tsunoda. Lawson made a bold move on Doohan, drawing a stewards’ investigation after contact.
• Lap 7: Piastri closed in on Verstappen as the Dutchman showed early signs of tire wear. Russell began to fall back, giving Leclerc a sniff at fifth.
• Lap 9: Verstappen was now just three-tenths behind Hamilton, whose front-left tire began showing graining. Meanwhile, Norris voiced concerns about his own tire life.
• Lap 10: Hamilton responded by pulling back out to a 1.3s lead. Piastri tightened the pressure on Verstappen, while Gasly and Hadjar made gains in the midfield.
• Lap 12: Sainz gambled with a pit stop — unusual for a Sprint — switching to a fresh set of mediums. Norris, meanwhile, told his engineer he was already pushing to the limit.
• Lap 14: Piastri launched a brave attack on Verstappen but couldn’t get through — yet. The Red Bull driver complained of “dead front tires.”
• Lap 15: Piastri finally made it stick, sweeping past Verstappen and pulling away almost instantly.

Final Laps: Hamilton Untouchable

With Verstappen now under pressure from Russell, Hamilton took full advantage and extended his lead to nearly 4 seconds. Piastri comfortably held P2 as Verstappen began to fade.

• Lap 17: Russell closed the gap to Verstappen, while Leclerc loomed just behind. Norris slipped past Stroll to grab P8 — the final points-paying spot.
• Lap 18: Hamilton was in total control, leading by 6 seconds. Verstappen managed to keep Russell at bay, but just barely.

Leclerc launched a late attack on Russell for P4 but couldn’t make it stick. Norris chased Antonelli for P7, and Lawson squeezed past Bearman for 16th.

← ‘I Can Do This’: Eddie Jordan’s Brave Final Fight Hamilton Feels at Home in Ferrari with Sprint Win in China →

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F1 Sprint Race Results

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Shanghai Sprint : Hamilton Outpaces Verstappen Shanghai Sprint : Hamilton Outpaces Verstappen