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Agence France-Presse

A fearless “all or nothing” lap from McLaren’s Lando Norris in wet and wild conditions Friday denied Lewis Hamilton pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race.
Hamilton thought he had claimed Shanghai pole in his Mercedes when Norris’ lap of one minute, 57.94 seconds on intermediate wet tyres was deleted for exceeding track limits, only to be dramatically reinstated a minute later.
Fernando Alonso in an Aston Martin showed his experience and guile to come third in the treacherous conditions with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth.
It was a second career sprint pole for Norris.

“It was tricky, you are always nervous going into a session like this,” said the Englishman.
“You just have to risk a lot, push and build tyre temperature and what not.
“You only get three laps. The first two I aborted on both, so it was all or nothing.”
Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez was sixth, splitting the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who survived a big spin.
Formula One is back in China for the first time since 2019, when Hamilton won.
A big crowd at the Shanghai International Circuit let out a huge roar when their hometown hero Zhou Guanyu made it into the third qualifying session.
He will start Saturday morning’s sprint from 10th for Sauber.
The 24-year-old Zhou was elevated to F1 in 2022, but has had to wait till his third season to make his home debut because of the pandemic.

Zhou is yet to score a 2024 championship point but has given himself a great chance with a near-flawless qualifying show.
Every lap in his bright green Sauber was greeted by massive cheers from the grandstand opposite the pit lane as his times appeared on the scoreboard.
“We will give it everything,” Zhou said. “I am just happy with the first day and great to have everyone here.
“The pressure before the weekend was so extreme, like I felt when I made my debut.”
Verstappen, who has won three out of four grands prix this season, again looked quickest until the rain came near the end of SQ2.
It sets up an intriguing 19-lap sprint battle Saturday morning as the three-time world champion attempts to find his way past Alonso, Hamilton and Norris.
“We have to try and have the best start possible,” said Verstappen. “And then I think it will be quite a long stint on one set of tyres in the sprint.”
The Dutchman, whose final lap time was deleted after a trip across the gravel outside the final bend, said “it was just like driving on ice”.
“That is why also I think we deserved to be where we are in qualifying; it isn’t really working for me in the wet but it is not where we are in the dry.”
Hamilton has endured a poor start to 2024 but was clearly looking forward to starting from the front row.
“So happy, as soon as I saw the rain coming I was getting excited. In dry conditions we’re not quick enough.”
Hamilton said his fate lay with the weather gods.

“It really depends what the conditions will be like,” said the seven-time world champion, who has won a record six grands prix in Shanghai.
“If they are like they were just now we have a chance of being up there.”
Alonso was also thankful for the late rain. “We were not super competitive on the dry,” he said.
“In the wet it was difficult to judge the level of grip and risk we wanted to apply but in the end I am happy.”
Fifth-placed Sainz said the rain and cool conditions made it very difficult to get his intermediate tyres warmed up.
“We didn’t manage to switch on the tyres so we couldn’t push,” said the Spaniard, the only driver to win a race this season apart from Verstappen.


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Formula One (F1)

F1 Chinese Grand Prix: ‘all-or-nothing’ McLaren driver Lando Norris takes pole amid rain chaos for Saturday’s sprint

McLaren driver Lando Norris’ lap of one minute, 57.94 seconds was initially deleted for exceeding track limits, but was dramatically reinstated a minute later. Photo: EPA

McLaren’s British driver Norris claimed his best time on intermediate wet tyres. Photo: EPA

Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu, from Sauber, will start Saturday’s sprint race from 10th spot. Photo: EPA

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton says wetter conditions would be better for him. Photo: EPA

F1 Chinese Grand Prix: at least 10 years before another China driver makes it into Formula 1, says trailblazer Zhou Guanyu

Fans in the stands hold up a cut-out of Sauber’s hometown hope Guanyu Zhou during the sprint qualifying session of the Chinese Grand Prix. Photo: Reuters

Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu is walking a lone path as the only Chinese driver in Formula One. Photo: Xinhua

Zhou during the sprint qualifying session on the Shanghai International Circuit track. Photo: Reuters

F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen aims to mark new ground at race that faces fresh challenges on its return to China

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen has won three championships since he last raced in China but he has never won the Chinese Grand Prix. Photo: Reuters

The Shanghai International Circuit has seen little use since 2019 and could be bumpier than before. Photo: AFP

Technicians working on the car of Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, who won the race the last time it was held. Photo: AFP

China’s first and only Formula One driver, Zhou Guanyu, will make his home debut with Sauber. Photo: AFP

Chinese Grand Prix: Stroll quickest in practice after small trackside fire, as Formula One returns to Shanghai

Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll waits in his car during the practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. Photo: AP

Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu steers his car down pit lane during the practice session. Photo: AP

F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz question wisdom of sprint race on return to Shanghai International track

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz say the sprint race is more for the fans’ benefit than for the drivers’. Photo: Reuters

Verstappen says having a sprint race where drivers have not been for a while is “not the smartest thing to do”. Photo: Xinhua

The Shanghai International Circuit was designed by German engineer and driver Hermann Tilke. Photo: AP

Carlos Sainz says “it’s not a good choice” to put the sprint on after four or five years’ absence. Photo: Reuters

F1 Chinese Grand Prix: Mercedes’ Toto Wolff names race’s return to mainland as ‘important moment’ for the sport, brand

A man gets an overview of the Shanghai International Circuit ahead of the weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Photo: AFP

[FILE] Toto Wolff says F1 offers fans a chance to ‘engage with the brand on a more human level’. Photo: EPA

Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton won the Chinese Grand Prix the last time it was held. Photo: AFP

Sport

Motorsport

British driver aborted first two qualifying races but risked it all in final session to claim best time ahead of Lewis Hamilton
Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso came third, with championship leader Max Verstappen fourth and China’s Zhou Guanyu 10th


British driver risked it all in final session to claim fastest time ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen and China’s Zhou Guanyu (10th).


Shanghai