Oscar Piastri takes maiden pole position for Chinese Grand Prix
Updated . First published at
A week after a heartbreaking spin cost him a podium at the Australian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri has bounced back to take his maiden F1 pole for Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.
Piastri set two laps that would have been quick enough for pole. His fastest time was just under a tenth quicker then that of the Mercedes of George Russell. Highly-fancied teammate Lando Norris was third.
"Very nicely done ... I just had a little scream in my helmet," Piastri said over team radio.
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Piastri's lap was the quickest-ever lap of the Shanghai circuit, which was completely resurfaced ahead of the 2025 race.
"I'm glad it looked (hooked up), because it didn't feel like that," Piastri said.
Oscar Piastri on his way to pole for the Chinese Grand Prix. Getty
"I think in Q3 I just found a lot of pace. In Q1 and Q2 I was genuinely struggling, then the car just came alive in Q3 and I came alive in Q3.
"I'm very happy with what I did at that end, even still the laps were a bit scruffy.
"I'm just pumped to be on pole."
The front row start puts the young Aussie in the box seat to claim his third victory.
In the sprint earlier on Saturday, Piastri finished second behind Lewis Hamilton. In hot conditions, Piastri showed superior tyre wear to catch and pass Max Verstappen in the dying laps.
Piastri acknowledges the crowd. AP
Piastri said the next challenge would be to win the start and put himself into clean air, where his car performance is at its peak.
Piastri sat on top of the time sheets after the first runs in Q3, and remained there as his challengers fell by the wayside. Norris abandoned his final lap after making a tiny mistake.
Fellow Australian Jack Doohan will start 18th. He had a lazy spin early in the opening session and was knocked out.
He had earlier been slapped with a 10 second time penalty for a clumsy collision with Gabriele Bortoleto on the final lap of the sprint race.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson's disastrous start to his Red Bull tenure continued. He set the slowest time in the opening part of qualifying and will start the race last.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Lawson offered no excuses for his struggles.
"It's just really tough, honestly," he said.
"The window is really small, that's known. But it's not an excuse. I've got to get a handle on it.
Red Bull's Liam Lawson will start the Chinese Grand Prix from last place. Getty
"It was a messy session, and had we not dealt with traffic we might've been OK, but it's still not good enough.
"To be having those issues and that's the reason we get knocked out, we should be fast enough on our first lap. It shouldn't be an issue. I just need to get on top of it."
Lawson's time was seven tenths down on that of teammate Max Verstappen. To make matters worse, the Racing Bulls pair of Yuki Tsunoda and Isack Hadjar both made it into the final part of qualifying.
Lawson said it was only time he needed to get on top of the car.
"Unfortunately I don't really have time," Lawson conceded.
"It's one of those things. To drive a Formula 1 car, it takes 100 per cent confidence in what you're doing, and it's not that I don't feel confident, but the window is so small I just seem to miss it. That's what I need to get a handle on. I don't know how else to put it.
"It's not good enough."
Sunday's grand prix begins at 6pm AEDT.
