Shanghai

ewis Hamilton took his first win for Ferrari on only his second outing for the team with a dominant victory in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix. The seven-time champion fended off a challenge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the run to the first corner and controlled the race from there. Verstappen fell back from the Ferrari after a few laps into the clutches of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who passed the world champion with five laps to go.

A “gobsmacked” Lewis Hamilton said he was in shock after he landed his first pole position in Ferrari colours for Saturday’s sprint race in China. Hamilton who edged out Red Bull’s Max Verstappen by just 0.018 seconds while the much fancied McLaren duo struggled with Oscar Piastri qualifying third as Lando Norris had to settle for sixth behind Charles Leclerc and George Russell.