Ferrari drivers Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have mirrored on a optimistic Sprint on the Chinese Grand Prix, the pair having claimed a double podium for the Scuderia amid an thrilling battle for the win.
Hamilton briefly took the lead on the primary lap of the 19-lap Sprint after beginning P4 and engaged in a frenetic duel with poleman and eventual race winner George Russell throughout the opening laps.
The seven-time World Champion then battled crew mate Leclerc, the pair going wheel-to-wheel by way of the opening corners at one stage, with the latter ultimately gaining the benefit and ending inside a second of Russell on the chequered flag.
“I’m pretty happy with the race,” stated Leclerc, the Ferrari driver having began from P6. “I feel the tempo was fairly robust – we had a little bit of combating which made me lose time to George and then it was troublesome to catch up.
“But it’s good to see that at least our race pace is similar to Mercedes and our Qualifying pace. Pretty happy with the car today.”
A late Safety Car interval introduced the main drivers into the pits for new gentle Pirelli rubber, however a second of wheelspin exiting the Turn 14 hairpin on the restart meant Leclerc was unable to problem Russell over the ultimate three laps.
“Well I think the tyres were a little bit colder than what I expected,” stated Leclerc.
“I saw George actually having a snap and I was like, ‘Okay, this is probably my opportunity to take the lead’, so I tried to go a bit more aggressive on throttle but I had the same rear grip as George so I nearly lost it, but luckily I didn’t completely lose it.”
Hamilton, in the meantime, recovered to 3rd after passing McLaren’s Lando Norris within the closing laps at Turn 1, the Briton having needed to stack behind Leclerc on the pit cease.
With the Shanghai International Circuit the scene of his solely victory for Ferrari 12 months in the past within the Sprint, Hamilton was inspired by the lead to 2026 and beneath the brand new laws.
“A big thank you to the team for us to be able to be in this position fighting with the Mercedes at the front,” he stated.
“It was a detailed battle at the start – their pace on the straights is slightly bit an excessive amount of in the mean time, however I put up a superb combat. I killed my left tyre so I wasn’t in a position to maintain onto place.
“It’s just a much better car [than last year] that we’ve designed and I’ve been a part of developing it, so definitely a lot happier in it and of course I was in the lead at one point so third is not the greatest, but I will try harder again tomorrow.”
