Chinese Grand Prix: George Russell on pole for sprint race as Mercedes continue ominous form

George Russell carried over his profitable momentum from Australia to land a crushing pole place for Saturday’s sprint race on the Chinese Grand Prix.

Russell laid down a championship marker to win Formula 1’s season-opening race and he now seems to be set to dominate the second spherical in Shanghai.

The British driver completed 0.289 seconds away from team-mate Kimi Antonelli as Mercedes ominously locked out the entrance row for Saturday’s 19-lap sprint to the checked flag.

Behind the all-conquering Silver Arrows can be world champion Lando Norristhough 0.621 seconds slower than Russell.

Lewis Hamilton received the sprint race for Ferrari a 12 months in the past — the only real spotlight of a bitterly disappointing first season in purple — and he’ll not less than be within the combine once more after qualifying fourth.

Hamilton would be the meat in a McLaren sandwich with Oscar Piastri fifth on the grid. Charles Leclerc traces up in sixth, a full second off the tempo, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly a formidable seventh.

Max Verstappen you may have already expressed your deep disdain for the brand new laws and your newest show is unlikely to allay these detrimental ideas. He completed eighth right here, an eye-watering 1.7 seconds down.