Lewis Hamilton puts in an unexpected performance in sprint qualifying

Lewis Hamilton was one of the most remarkable drivers during the wet Friday qualifier, taking second place behind Lando Norris of McLaren. The seven-time world champion said his car came alive on the wet track, but is realistic about his potential if Saturday morning’s sprint is dry.

« It was quite difficult conditions. Not much grip for everyone, but so happy », he told F1 TV.

« As soon as I saw the rain coming, I was very happy because on dry land, we are not fast enough. So, when the rain came, I thought I would have a better opportunity and that’s when everything came to life.

Moreover, Lando Norris’ time had been canceled once before being reinstated, Hamilton could have taken pole position for the Sprint race. A glimmer of hope in a lukewarm start to the season for the Mercedes team.

« If that’s how it is [in the sprint race], then we have a chance to be up there somewhere. If the weather is dry, then naturally, the Ferraris and Red Bulls will pass. Maybe we can hold off some of the others.

Toto Wolff optimistic

The team boss, Toto Wolff, appeared more optimistic about his team’s chances on Saturday, but warned that due to the only free practice session in the sprint format, the available data on the Chinese track was limited.

We should have the pace in the dry. I don’t think we have the pace against the Red Bulls, but I think we have it against the McLarens, he told Sky Sports F1.

« That being said, we also do not know. Because we have no data on the FP1, they could also be much faster, or the opposite. »

Mercedes struggled to find the rhythm, in the midst of a late drizzle, which saw George Russell finish in 11th place.

« We know our car in terms of grip, it is not an easy task. We failed in Q1 and Q2, then we succeeded in Q3. Obviously, driving is the most important on wet ground. But I think it shows that it’s a matter of tire preparation. We did the right things on the last run, the tires were in the right place, combined with excellent driving. This allowed us to save time. » We failed in Q1 and Q2, then we succeeded in Q3.

George Russell said that his last lap was compromised by the fact that he was at the back of the line at the exit of the pit lane, which meant it was difficult to get his tires up to the right temperature.

« It wasn’t easy at all, this Q2 lap. We tried to send me out as early as possible, then we obviously got stuck. I think 12 cars were in front of us, they were stuck in the pit lane, so we had a loss of tire temperature.

And then it was tight, a tenth more and you are four or five positions higher. It’s just a shame to be at the bottom of the ladder, but we have a chance to climb back in the sprint race.