Lewis Hamilton Races to Record-Breaking Sprint Pole in China for Ferrari

Lewis Hamilton set a new lap record at the Shanghai circuit during his first sprint race pole for Ferrari. The seven-time world champion beat Red Bull's Max Verstappen by a narrow margin. This marks a significant breakthrough for Hamilton, who recently joined Ferrari.

In a remarkable display of speed and precision, Lewis Hamilton smashed the Shanghai circuit lap record to seize his first sprint race pole for Ferrari in China. The seven-time Formula One world champion clocked a blistering one minute 30.849 seconds, placing him ahead of Red Bull's reigning champion Max Verstappen on the front row of the grid.

Hamilton's commanding performance, achieved in only his second race weekend with the Italian team, saw him out-qualify teammate Charles Leclerc. This achievement is a notable comeback for the 40-year-old Briton, after a disappointing outing at the Australian season opener in Melbourne.

The record lap comes as a morale booster for Ferrari, as Hamilton's pole position sets the stage for Saturday's 100km sprint race, where the top eight drivers will score points, with eight points up for grabs for the winner.

(With inputs from agencies.)