Hamilton 'gobsmacked' by Ferrari speed in China

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Hamilton achieved a better qualifying result than Red Bull's Max Verstappen, placing first, while his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc secured the fourth position, and Lando Norris from McLaren came in sixth.

The seven-time champion, who had qualified eighth and finished ninth during his Ferrari debut in Australia the previous weekend, expressed, "I am somewhat surprised by this."

"I was uncertain about reaching this level, especially after a challenging start to the week last weekend. I arrived here with determination and a strong desire to improve the car's performance for the weekend."

"I felt an immediate improvement in my connection with the car and I can't believe we are at the top. I am genuinely astonished."

Hamilton outperformed Leclerc by 0.208 seconds and Norris by 0.544 seconds.

This result positions Hamilton favorably for the shorter sprint race on Saturday, scheduled for 03:00 GMT, after which teams will have the opportunity to adjust their cars’ setups ahead of grand prix qualifying at 07:00. Hamilton remarked, "Although it’s not the main pole position, it truly motivates me to go into tomorrow seeking more performance and assessing our competitiveness again. There is definitely some additional performance to uncover, without a doubt."

Leclerc commented, "I had difficulties on my side of the garage. From the outset, I sensed I was falling behind Lewis, who was simply quicker."

"I struggled significantly during Turns One, Two, and Three, much like last year, more or less. Other than that, everything was fairly close. It's disappointing to start from P4, but with Lewis on pole, I hope we can have a strong race."

Following Verstappen in second place, McLaren's Oscar Piastri claimed third, ahead of Leclerc, George Russell from Mercedes, and Norris.

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur indicated that the outcome reflected the intense competition among the top four teams and the challenges of achieving the ideal car setup while ensuring optimal tire performance.

Vasseur stated, "The day was somewhat complex to interpret. McLaren led this morning, and we were in front during Q1, while they excelled in Q2, and we fell back in Q3."

"I believe this is connected to tire management. If you are outside the right window, you're facing significant challenges, but it’s beneficial for the team."

"We endured a tough weekend in Melbourne, but Friday was promising. This weekend alternates similarly, with highs and lows."

"It portrays an identical scenario to last year - in the last four races, three or four teams could win with a 30-second margin from track to track based on tire performance."