Hamilton 'Absolutely Joyful' Securing Second Position Under Harsh Sprint Qualifying Circumstances in China

Lewis Hamilton - Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton expressed his elation after skillfully maneuvering through the demanding conditions of the Sprint Qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix, placing second on the grid after initially seizing the pole position, only to later be overtaken by Lando Norris.

With rain starting to pour at the Shanghai International Circuit during SQ2, the competition's final SQ3 stage saw drivers grappling with an increasingly treacherous track. Amongst them, Hamilton managed to maintain control of his vehicle, appearing to clock the fastest lap as the session neared its conclusion.

Nonetheless, a lap time previously disqualified for Norris was subsequently reinstated, elevating the McLaren driver to pole position and relegating Hamilton to second. Nevertheless, the Mercedes ace was content to leveraging the inclement weather to secure a more advantageous starting spot.

"The conditions were exceedingly challenging," Hamilton noted following the event. "There was hardly any grip, as evident for everyone. Yet, I'm absolutely joyful."

"The moment I observed the rainfall, I grew excited, recognizing that our performance in dry conditions doesn’t quite measure up, so the rain presented a better chance, sparking a turnaround," he added.

Concerning his prospects in Saturday’s Sprint, Hamilton suggested that favorable weather conditions might open up an opportunity.

"The outcome heavily relies on the weather," he stated. "Should it mirror today’s, there's a possibility we might find ourselves towards the front. I foresee the Ferraris and the Red Bulls overtaking us in dry conditions, yet we might fend off the rest."

Unfortunately, the day wasn't as favorable for Hamilton’s teammate, George Russell, who was eliminated during SQ2 in 11th place. The British driver hadn't recorded a lap in the dry earlier phases of the segment and had to abort his critical flying lap as the rain intensified.

Reflecting on the session, Russell described exiting his vehicle: "It was anything but simple. We attempted to push ahead as soon as possible during that final lap in Q2, but then got caught behind a congestion of 12 cars idling in the pit lane, leading to a loss in tyre temperature. 

Hamilton will start from the second position on the grid for the Sprint race at the Grand Prix in China this Saturday - Getty Images

"It was a close call; a tenth of a second could have elevated me several positions. It’s disheartening to be at this end of it, but Sprint Qualifying offers a shot at redemption in the Sprint race," he added.

When asked if the rain's arrival dampened his spirits during his lap, the 26-year-old replied, "It didn’t exactly dampen spirits; it was more about frustration after the initial lap. It was touch-and-go for making it into Q3, under challenging conditions. Now with rain set in, who knows how Q3 would have turned out.

"But as mentioned, there's the Sprint race tomorrow, a chance to reclaim some positions, followed by another qualifying round in the afternoon."

On the potential performance of the W15 and possible improvements, Russell elaborated, "For all competitors, the grip was significantly lower than expected. We estimated lap times to be three or four seconds off.

There isn't a junior series like F2 or F3 this weekend to help condition the track, so we’re all struggling with traction. Our practice was only on hard tyres, and we had just two laps in qualifying on mediums.

"It's quite the challenge to make an accurate assessment, but as said, we have another opportunity tomorrow. Perhaps some overnight adjustments could make a difference."