McLaren’s Oscar Piastri stormed to his maiden Formula 1 Grand Prix pole in Shanghai, holding off Mercedes’ George Russell and teammate Lando Norris in a tense qualifying battle.
The Australian delivered two blistering laps in Q3, both quick enough for pole, edging Russell by just 0.082 seconds. Norris, in contention for the top spot, faltered with a mistake mid-lap, allowing Russell to slip between the McLarens. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen could only manage fourth for Red Bull, ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who earlier claimed victory in the sprint race.
For Piastri, this moment was a breakthrough. “It means a lot,” he said. “I was struggling in Q1 and Q2, but the car came alive in Q3—and I think I did too.” His final lap was nearly abandoned before a late surge. “I thought, ‘Why not send it?’ and I’m glad I did.”
Norris, 0.152 seconds behind, was gracious in defeat. “Oscar deserves it. He’s done a great job. A couple of mistakes from me, but we’re heading in the right direction.”
Russell, surprised to split the McLarens, called it “one of the hardest qualifying sessions in a long time.” Struggling with tyre preparation, he found pace with a last-minute adjustment. “I had a big moment at Turn One, but it all came together. Buzzing for tomorrow.”
Hamilton, 0.286 seconds off pole, admitted Ferrari’s overnight changes backfired. “The car was really hard to drive. It wasn’t hugging the road.” Charles Leclerc, just 0.094 seconds behind, echoed the frustration but remained optimistic.
Elsewhere, Racing Bulls rookie Isack Hadjar impressed with seventh, while Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli took eighth. Williams’ Alex Albon rounded out the top ten, but Red Bull’s Liam Lawson endured another tough session, qualifying last.
With McLaren locking out the front row, Sunday’s race promises a thrilling showdown, as Piastri looks to convert his first pole into a landmark victory.
