McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to his first-ever pole position on Saturday at the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell, after Lewis Hamilton won the sprint race. The second row for Sunday’s main race will be filled by Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris and world champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull. 

Hamilton will start in fifth after taking his maiden victory for Ferrari in the morning sprint in Shanghai. Alongside him on the third row will be teammate Charles Leclerc with Isack Hadjar, Kimi Antonelli, Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon completing the top 10. “I found a lot of pace in Q3.  The laps were a little bit scruffy but I’m just pumped to be on pole,” said the Australian Piastri. Piastri, who was second in the sprint, said it would be important to get away in front at the start of Sunday’s race where preserving tyres could be a key factor.