F1 Chinese Grand Prix qualifying AS IT HAPPENED: Kimi Antonelli becomes youngest-ever pole-sitter; Oscar Piastri delivers brutal McLaren assessment

We'll be back tomorrow for the race, where the Ferrari's will be hoping they can jag a win in front of a full house in Shanghai.

Join us then!

We just heard from Oscar Piastri, who will start tomorrow's race from fifth. He seemed a bit downcast, and his assessment of where McLaren are lacking compared to Mercedes was certainly a worry.

"I think we are a bit behind at the moment - the order is probably about where it should be," he said.

"I think it's all the corners really - we're not weak in one particular place.

"We probably did a better job today of maximizing the power unit which was good, but we're just lacking grip at the moment."

He'll have his teammate Lando Norris right next to him in sixth.

"The kid did good today."

That was the reaction of Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff about Antonelli's pole.

"Many said the kid was too young - too young to be in a Mercedes and we should have prepared him otherwise," he said on Sky Sports F1.

"But the kid did good today - youngest pole sitter … I'm so happy for him."

How were you spending your Saturday afternoons when you were 19 years, 202 days old?

I was probably starting pre-drinks for a wacky night out.

Kimi Antonelli is taking pole positions in F1 races. He's just broken Sebastian Vettel's 2008 record to be the youngest ever polesitter in the sport's history.

"It was a pretty clean session, so really happy," Antonelli said.

"Of course George had an issue, so would have been cool to see him with two sets.

"It was a good session - clean, no mistakes, so I'm looking forward to tomorrow."

Sebastian Vettel was 21 years and 73 days old when he took pole for the 2008 Italian Grand Prix.

It's two, by two, by two down the grid.

The two Mercs are 1-2, followed by the two Ferraris and the two McLarens - with Piastri ahead of Norris.

Then came the Alpine of Pierre Gasly to ruin it a bit, ahead of the two Red Bulls.

Oliver Bearman will start 10th for Haas.

Kimi Antonelli has just become the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history!

Mercedes did manage to get George Russell's car back out on track after that stoppage, but his lap wasn't enough to dethrone his young teammate.

He was on pole in the Miami sprint race last year, but this is his first grand prix pole.

"Nice work Kimi, that's pole mate," his engineer Peter Bonnington said on team radio.

"Let's go mate! Woo!," Came the reply from the young Italian.

Antonelli is also the first Italian since Giancarlo Fisichella in 2009 to sit on pole.

GEORGE RUSSELL HAS STOPPED ON TRACK!

He's topped both qualifying sessions so far this year, but George Russell's charge at a third might have been crippled already.

His Mercedes stopped on track at the exit of turn three. He reported no power, and no battery.

He must have had a tiny bit of battery power though - he was able to get the car going again, but he reported on team radio he had no ability to change gear and was stuck in first gear.

Without his teammate on track, Kimi Antonelli is fastest after the opening runs ahead of the two Ferraris.

There was a double yellow flag at the final corner after Gabriel Bortoleto went for a spin at the final corner.

It killed a couple of people's runs, but there were no major surprises in Q2.

Piastri did make it through - albeit only in eighth.