Kimi Antonelli is looking to turn a record-breaking Chinese Grand Prix pole position into his first Formula 1 win on Sunday, and you can follow it live on ESPN here:
Despite George Russell’s gearbox issue, Mercedes secured a second successive front-row lockout for the race in Shanghai – Russell was only able to record one flying lap in Q3, but that was enough with Mercedes’ tremendous pace taking them to a 1-2 in qualifying. As the race pace indicated, Ferrari were right behind – with Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc just behind them in 3-4. Watch out for their explosive starting potential on Sunday – even if the Australian Grand Prix and Sprint race here at the Chinese Grand Prix suggest that Mercedes’ dominance on the race track will be very difficult to challenge.
Elsewhere, four-time world champion Max Verstappen continued to express his dissatisfaction with the Red Bull car after disappointing qualifying that left him eighth on the grid behind Alpine driver Pierre Gasly, who impressed.
Oscar Piastri and defending world champion Lando Norris will line up in fifth and sixth respectively for McLaren.
Earlier on Saturday, a thrilling sprint race saw George Russell fend off the early challenge of Lewis Hamilton, and later Charles Leclerc’s late surge to win the race and extend his early lead at the top of the Drivers’ Championship table.
Kimi Antonelli suffered a poor start in that race but recovered to finish fourth – but that’s the kind of start the record maker wants to avoid from pole position today.
