Lewis Hamilton delivers for Ferrari with sprint victory in Shanghai

SHANGHAI–Lewis Hamilton claimed victory in the first sprint race of the 2025 Formula One world championship season, delivering hope for Ferrari in his second race with the team.

The seven-time world champion began the race on pole position and didn't look back, with a brief challenge from Max Verstappen before the Dutchman had to step away and manage his tyre performance.

"I woke up feeling great today," said Hamilton.

"I really do feel a lot of people underestimated the really steep climb it is to get into a new team, to become acclimatised within a team, understanding and communication, all sorts of things."

The British driver certainly delivered for the hundreds of dedicated fans at the Shanghai circuit, who unfurled red "44" banners in honour of their favourite driver.

It is a sign of hope that the 2025 season will be an open contest, with McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull all showing signs of potential with one grand prix and one sprint race now completed.

"From Lap 1 here this weekend, really feeling on it," said Hamilton.

"We’ve done a great job – the engineers have done a great job, mechanics have done a great job to really finetune the car and it felt great today."

"I got a good start and then there’s so much grip on this new tarmac. It’s really hard to look after these tyres but I think everyone was struggling the same."

Tyre management was the theme on Saturday with a resurfaced track providing a high-level of wear and fast lap times, with Aussie Oscar Piastri chasing down the lead pair and seemingly having the upper hand on his tyres.

The trio, Hamilton, Verstappen, Piastri, sped away from the field, with Piastri quickly catching Verstappen once the Red Bull driver began to concentrate on his tyres.

Piastri passed Verstappen with few laps to spare, taking second in the 19-lap sprint race, while Verstappen held on for the final podium position.

George Russell and Charles Leclerc had a late-race battle for fourth, but the Mercedes driver was able to hold off the second Ferrari and claim the position at the chequered flag.

Yuki Tsunoda was sixth for Racing Bulls, with Andrea Kimi Antonelli seventh in the second Mercedes after a tight midfield battle.

Australian grand prix winner Lando Norris had to settle for eighth after struggling in qualifying and running wide in the early stages of the sprint, snatching the final points position despite a lack of pace and questions to his team about how to maximise tyre performance.

The move from Piastri on Verstappen, and Norris working his way into the points, means the Brit keeps a narrow lead of the championship heading into the Chinese Grand Prix on Sunday.

Meanwhile, fellow Aussie Jack Doohan struggled in his Alpine as he battled with the Sauber drivers, making contact with Gabriel Bortoleto on the final lap and falling to 20th and last in the finishing order.

The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix is underway at 6.oopm AEDT on Sunday.

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