2024 F1 Round 5 Chinese GP Sprint qualifying: Norris takes pole with reinstated 1:57.940 in the rain, home favourite Zhou reaches SQ3 in tenth

Sprint qualifying for the 2024 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix concluded at the Shanghai International Circuit on the afternoon of 19 April, Beijing time. McLaren’s Lando Norris took Sprint pole with a 1:57.940 in the rain during SQ3. The lap was initially deleted before being reinstated. Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso finished second and third. Sauber’s home driver Zhou Guanyu reached SQ3 and ultimately placed tenth.

SQ1 began with a few spots of rain, although they had little effect on lap times. George Russell briefly dropped into the elimination zone but narrowly advanced after finding 0.3 seconds in the final sector. Pierre Gasly went out in 16th, joining team-mate Esteban Ocon in being eliminated at the first stage. Alex Albon was 18th. Yuki Tsunoda did not set a representative time until his final run and could not find grip, leaving him 19th and out of SQ2, with Logan Sargeant last.

Before SQ2, grass beside the track caught fire again, as it had in practice. Officials had to put it out, slightly delaying the start. With rain approaching, the drivers scrambled for position when the pit-exit light turned green. Russell opted for another lap after dropping to 11th, but the rain arrived just then and he lost significant time in the first sector. He fell short of Zhou’s cut-off by 0.038 seconds, prompting loud cheers from the home crowd. Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hülkenberg finished 12th and 13th, while Daniel Ricciardo and practice pacesetter Lance Stroll also failed to advance after their only flying lap.

SQ3 took place in the rain, with every driver on intermediate tyres. The surface was extremely slippery. Charles Leclerc slid into the wall at the exit of Turn 8 and had to replace his front wing and fit fresh intermediates. Oscar Piastri set the first time, over two minutes, before Sergio Pérez and Alonso each moved to the top. Hamilton’s 1:59.201 appeared to have secured pole. Norris had run off the track on his previous lap, and his subsequent 1:57.940 was initially deleted for no apparent reason. Once Race Control reinstated it, he beat Hamilton to pole, giving the two British drivers the Sprint front row. Alonso was third. After several excursions, Max Verstappen finally completed a clean lap on his last attempt to finish fourth. Carlos Sainz, Pérez, Leclerc, Piastri, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou filled positions five to ten.