First pole position with Ferrari and Hamilton sets a new record
First Chinese GP in Ferrari colors, first pole position and circuit record: Lewis Hamilton marks his territory against Verstappen and the McLarens, proving that he remains at the top of his game.
Records are his thing. Lewis Hamilton clinched his first pole position with Ferrari at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, and not just in any way: by shattering the record for the fastest lap on the Chinese circuit! His time of 1:30.849 settled the matter for everyone, including Max Verstappen, who had to settle for second place just behind the Ferrari.
A prestigious pole position for Hamilton, who hadn’t tasted pole since Silverstone 2021. Needless to say, an eternity for a driver of his caliber. The last time he found himself at this level in qualifying, the current technical regulations didn’t exist yet, and Mercedes was still dominating F1. Today, with Ferrari, the Briton proves that he hasn’t lost any of his mastery of the perfect lap.
A historic lap on a renewed track
Hamilton’s lap was not just fast, it was historic. His 1:30.849 eclipsed the previous track record held by Sebastian Vettel (1:31.095 in 2018). An achievement partly explained by technical advancements, but also by the resurfacing work on the track, providing better grip for the cars.
Before the British champion worked his magic, McLaren had the upper hand. Oscar Piastri had put in a great lap and seemed well on his way to securing pole position. The Papaya Team, which appears to be dominating the start of the season with its ultra-high-performance car, thought it would position itself ahead of the competition on a newly resurfaced track offering unprecedented grip.
It was without counting on the seven-time world champion, who took advantage of the optimal conditions to steal the spotlight from everyone. Remarkably, the top four qualifiers all surpassed the benchmark time set by Vettel in 2018, confirming that the Chinese track offered exceptional conditions this season.
Ferrari back on top?
With this performance, Ferrari shows that recruiting Hamilton was not just a marketing stunt. Struggling in recent seasons, the Scuderia finally seems capable of competing with Red Bull and McLaren.
The Brit regains the taste for the top spots, and while this pole position is already a strong signal, it will need to be confirmed in the race as Max Verstappen is not far behind. Indeed, the Hamilton-Verstappen duel at the first corner in Shanghai will be the focus of attention, in what promises to be one of the highlights of this race.
