<a href="/f1" class="sdc-site-localnav__header-title" data-role="nav-header" aria-controls="sdc-site-localnav-body" aria-expanded="false"> <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewbox="0 0 34 34" class="sdc-site-localnav__icon"> <path d="M6.02 12.67c.01.194.087.362.247.525l.188.192L16.52 23.45c.188.19.44.294.706.294s.518-.104.707-.293l10.135-10.134.123-.126c.162-.163.24-.332.248-.53.006-.173-.155-.438-.442-.725-.187-.187-.386-.368-.59-.537-.05-.04-.096-.078-.138-.11l-.496.495-9.193 9.193-.355.354-.354-.354-9.197-9.198-.484-.484c-.043.033-.09.07-.14.112-.204.168-.402.348-.59.536-.285.288-.446.553-.44.727z" /> </svg>F1 </a> <br>Lewis Hamilton led from lights to flag to claim his first victory for Ferrari in the Chinese GP Sprint; Oscar Piastri passed Max Verstappen for second in the closing stages; <strong>watch Chinese GP Qualifying live on Sky Sports F1 at 7am on Saturday, and the race at 7am on Sunday</strong><br>Saturday 22 March 2025 04:53, UK<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Lewis Hamilton claimed his first victory for Ferrari by winning the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint.<br>Having taken a surprise pole on Friday, Hamilton held off Max Verstappen at the start and in the opening stages, before expertly managing his tyres to cruise to victory.<br>The victory was a first for both Hamilton and Ferrari in a Sprint, and marked a stunning turnaround from his disappointing debut for the Italian team at last weekend's season-opening Australian Grand Prix.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>McLaren's Oscar Piastri passed Verstappen for second in the closing stages, but had taken too much out of his tyres to chase down Hamilton, who won by almost seven seconds.<br>Melbourne winner Lando Norris retained his Drivers' Championship lead after scoring just a single point for finishing eighth, having dropped three places from his starting position of sixth following an opening-lap error.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>George Russell was fourth for Mercedes after holding off Hamilton's Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc, who he overtook on the first lap.<br>Yuki Tsunoda drove superbly for Racing Bulls to take sixth, holding off Hamilton's Mercedes replacement Andrea Kimi Antonelli.<br> Stream every F1 race with NOW <br> When to watch Chinese GP on Sky <br> F1 in 2025: The full race schedule <br> Get Sky Sports on WhatsApp <br>1) Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari<br><br>2) Oscar Piastri, McLaren<br><br>3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull<br><br>4) George Russell, Mercedes<br><br>5) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari<br><br>6) Yuki Tsunoda, Racing Bulls<br><br>7) Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes<br><br>8) Lando Norris, McLaren<br>Despite the positive vibes that came from Hamilton's performance on Friday, his and Ferrari's underwhelming effort in Australia meant there was plenty of doubt as to whether he would be able to convert pole to victory at the Shanghai International Circuit.<br>Not only did he have Verstappen alongside him, but there was also the looming threat of Piastri from third, in a McLaren that many had believed would be completely dominant this weekend.<br>The 40-year-old showed his reactions remain as sharp as ever as he got off the line cleanly and cut off across Verstappen to ensure he held the lead at the first corner.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Hamilton was swiftly able to extend his lead over Verstappen to just above a second, keeping the Dutchman just outside of DRS range, but that would change when the gap suddenly closed on lap seven.<br>The seven-time world champion used his experience to deny Verstappen a clear overtaking opportunity, before the Red Bull dropped back a couple of laps later as his tyres struggled in the dirty air of the Ferrari.<br>With Hamilton moving clear, Verstappen then came under pressure from Piastri, but held him off until lap 15, by which point the Ferrari was almost three seconds clear.<br>It quickly became clear that Piastri had little life left in his tyres, and Hamilton drove into the distance to deliver a statement result.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>Hamilton said: "I really do feel a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to get into a new team, become acclimatised within the team, understanding and communication - all sorts of things.<br>"The amount of critics and people I heard, yapping along the way, clearly not understanding maybe because they never had the experience or were unaware.<br>"It felt great to come here and be more comfortable in the car because in Melbourne I didn't feel great in the car. From lap one this weekend we have been on it. The engineers and mechanics have done a great job to finetune the car and it felt great."<br>After Norris had launched his championship campaign with an impressive victory in Australia, one of the big talking points in the Shanghai paddock on Thursday was just how dominant McLaren could be, with Russell suggesting the MCL38 could hold a bigger advantage over the field than Red Bull's historically dominant 2023 car did.<br>A questionable run plan in Sprint qualifying and an error from Norris left him sixth on the grid, with Piastri only able to salvage third.<br>Norris' task immediately stiffened as he ran off track at Turn 6 on the opening lap as he attempted to pass Russell around the outside and subsequently lost three places.<br>Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player<br><br>But perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend so far was Norris' inability to pass the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll for most of the race, before he eventually broke through to eighth with two laps to go.<br>"I just had a bad first lap," Norris told<em> Sky Sports F1</em>. "Then it was just difficult to do a lot. Qualifying didn't help but I wasn't very good today either.<br>"In the race, I just feel dreadful, so a lot of work to do."<br>While running in clear air was clearly a huge advantage for Hamilton, McLaren's lack of standout pace came as a major surprise and may lead many to reassess their expectations.<br><strong>Saturday March 22</strong><br><strong>Sunday March 23</strong><br><em>*Also on Sky Sports Main Event</em><br><strong>Formula 1 is in Shanghai this week for the first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, live on Sky Sports F1. <a href="https://www.nowtv.com/watch-sky-sports-online?DCMP=ilc_skysports_nc_articlelink">Stream Sky Sports with NOW - No contract, cancel anytime</a></strong><br> <a href="/" class="svg-logo site-footer__site-logo"> <img class="svg-logo__image" alt="Sky Sports" src="https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.svg" onerror="this.onerror=null;this.src='https://e0.365dm.com/tvlogos/channels/Sky-Sports-Logo.png'"> </a> © 2025 Sky UK <br><br><a href="https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi5wFBVV95cUxNbUc5ZHJUWGJwbk91UklYbHQyVnJJMWlmVFlzZFlpajUtY1pZR0pVOENJcTUyR005MHlwWUxLS3IzWU1VMHd4VklxY0hjS3pFUXRBUXUyVGZXejJWTlZkbWVKM1M1dTVYSnllZGFIcEtuRkhjbmc3SGVlbkI5SHU1V090NElrS0xlTkpKQkRONUJmQmM4NkxUSFZUUXJkN1ZtUDVVZFdIMnJUVFV1U2kzdEJhcm05Y1J4VktHdnZTbHY3NW5pTGo3alh3TXFONHRLQi00Y3dSRjN4REFVZ1hscU5lSFFqWnfSAewBQVVfeXFMTXRWYV96dWJJRFp6VlUzVTBkRlMtcmVUZTVvRzBkNi1qY3dtWGUtOHdYSEx4NWhZWjFDSWdGR1p0d3BiZTc2VThRdzBZS1g5bV9oTzJOakI1TkotdWpNMnFkQ2d0LXNzLUpMdXE5T0VQWkFXYXpZWkxNYTVCcHpLRlVOM3FGODZlTmFqcHVqSEp6ZFJlcnhjSjRQR1pDUjQxNG1YbVhSaF9xZG5iMGlNQXZSSW1zM3ZBTmhDV21DbG5VX1hRNGM5UVNzRXdaNHVpd1NBRjBZV0VWYWxyU3lCYVBmbWI5bWR3UktkdkU?oc=5">source</a>
