Sprint China, here is the starting grid

The Sprint weekend in China began with great uncertainties, linked in particular to the conditions of the asphalt given its absence from the calendar, and the lack of time to find the ideal set-up on a day affected by the weather. The first Sprint qualifications of the year, or rather the Sprint Shootout ended with a wet track. For the first time this season we were able to see the behavior of the 2024 single-seaters in almost extreme conditions. All of this contributed to the show. The drivers entering SQ3 tried to capitalize on the best possible result despite having to fight with an unstable car. The one who prevailed in China was McLaren, which took the first Pole of the season, even if valid for the Sprint and not for the race, with Lando Norris. The great protagonists who have trod this track return alongside him, namely Hamilton and Alonso. Ferraris and Red Bulls, however, were notably absent. Max Verstappen qualified “only” fourth. The first Ferrari we find is that of Carlos Sainz. The Maranello team hopes to be able to recover during tomorrow's Sprint, which should take place in the dry. So let's see the starting grid of the Sprint Race in China which will start at 05:00 in the morning.

A wet qualifying makes the race quite interesting

The lack of grip made the Sprint qualifying in China a real Russian roulette, giving an opportunity even to the teams that would not have had such a great opportunity to finish among the top positions in the dry. Among these we certainly find Mercedes, even if only one. Lewis Hamilton, unlike Russell, managed to drag his W15 into SQ3. The arrival of the rain allowed the Englishman to place himself in second position, even risking starting from Pole. A breath of fresh air for Lewis who will start alongside another Englishman, Lando Norris. However, in the race he will have to defend himself from Max Verstappen and Sainz's Ferrari. The toughest opponents.

Fernando Alonso will also make Sainz and Max's climb more complicated. A difficult opponent to face in melee. However, compared to Aston, Red Bull and Ferrari have a more competitive car. In the top 10 we also find two drivers from a team that usually starts from further back, namely Stake. We'll see if they manage to hold their positions as they get closer to the points zone, which is rather limited in the Sprint. The rise of teams like Alpine, Williams and Racing Bulls is more difficult. It will be important for them not to risk too much tomorrow, also considering that after the Sprint there will be other qualifying sessions.

Sprint China, starting grid at 05.00