Russell beats teammate Antonelli to Chinese sprint pole as Mercedes dominance continues

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/russell-george/xxF56RaN/"]Russell[/a] ‌led every phase of ⁠the ‌session at the Shanghai circuit ​to take his first career sprint ​pole in a time of one minute, 31.520 ⁠seconds. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/antonelli-andrea-kimi/ptGu0mT1/"]​Antonelli[/a] was 0.289 slower.[/p][embed guid="16f991a6-9808-4cd4-b01a-52da780ed227" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2032369979098636520" social-type="twitter" /][p]McLaren's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/norris-lando/WSVABbVF/"]Lando Norris[/a] was third fastest but the Briton could move ‌up to the front row with Antonelli under investigation and facing a possible grid drop ‌for allegedly impeding the reigning world champion in the second phase.[/p][p]McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said, however, that ‌Norris had not been on course for a fast time anyway on that lap.[/p][p]Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hamilton-lewis/tI5Vpe1h/"]Lewis ‌Hamilton[/a], who started the 100km race on pole in China last year, was fourth fastest ahead of McLaren's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/piastri-oscar/MqKAIeUf/"]Oscar Piastri[/a] and Ferrari's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leclerc-charles/KlCOSRub/"]Charles Leclerc[/a].[/p][p]The race on Saturday brings eight points to the winner with the top eight scoring. The ‌main grand prix is on Sunday.[/p][h2]Mercedes car 'a real joy to drive'[/h2][p][b]"The ⁠car has been feeling amazing,"[/b] said Russell, winner of ‌the Australian season-opener last weekend. "We knew after Melbourne we had a really good car, the engine is performing ​really well, and today it was a real joy to drive.[/p][p][b]"It felt really quick and that was pretty cool, very different to Melbourne."[/b][/p][p]Russell was the third successive British sprint ​pole-sitter in Shanghai after Norris in 2024 and Hamilton in 2025.[/p][p]He had also been fastest in the day's sole practice session, ahead of Antonelli, with Mercedes comfortably ahead of the rest.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gasly-pierre/nqYFMBBf/"]Pierre Gasly[/a] was ⁠seventh fastest for Renault-owned Alpine but ​under investigation for apparently impeding Red Bull's four-times world champion [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/verstappen-max/UV3mgeXB/"]Max Verstappen[/a], who ended up eighth.[/p][p]Haas's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bearman-oliver/tMI3u5xo/"]Oliver Bearman[/a] took the ninth slot on the grid and Verstappen's new teammate [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hadjar-isack/8SAk38Ui/"]Isack Hadjar[/a] completed the top 10 but a massive 2.2 seconds off Russell's pace.[/p][p]Norris said he was happy with his lap.[/p][p][b]"P3 is as ‌good as we can do for the time being,"[/b] he said.[/p][p]"I'm actually pretty happy to beat both the Ferraris today because they seemed pretty good the whole day. So I'm satisfied. Good position for tomorrow."[/p][p]Leclerc said Mercedes were still a step ahead but Ferrari, who removed their so-called 'Macarena' rear wing for the session due to reliability concerns, should have been stronger.[/p][embed guid="c3a73122-35ed-4950-9544-17cff684f1fc" url="https://x.com/F1/status/2032373658832797730" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]"In qualifying for some reason the Mercedes power unit finds a lot of lap time," [/b]said the Monegasque.[/p][p]"We don't quite find that amount of lap time just yet in qualifying but in the race we are closer so I'm hopeful we can come back tomorrow."[/p][p]Hamilton said the engineers had done a fantastic job to get the car ‌ready after he spun off in a tricky practice session.[/p][p][b]"The car generally felt great. I think ​it is on the straights, it's a lot of time to be losing so we ‌have a lot of work to do, we really have to push so hard to improve on power."[/b][/p][p]Further back, Audi continued to perform well with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/hulkenberg-nico/GfW4SMu7/"]Nico Hulkenberg[/a] qualifying 11th and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/bortoleto-gabriel/8zwcIVil/"]Gabriel Bortoleto[/a] 14th.[/p][p]Newcomers Cadillac filled the bottom two positions, with Mexican [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/perez-sergio/foV8RteD/"]Sergio Perez[/a] unable to take part in the session due to a fuel system issue.[/p][p]Troubled Aston Martin, struggling with their new ⁠Honda power unit, had [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/alonso-fernando/rVRhR90U/"]Fernando Alonso[/a] 19th and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/stroll-lance/I3p9zz4s/"]⁠Lance Stroll[/a] 20th. Williams, whose car has been ‌slowed by excess weight, had Carlos Sainz 17th and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/albon-alexander/OEbwYC7k/"]Alex Albon[/a] 18th.[/p]