Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton achieved his first victory as a Ferrari driver.
The 40-year-old Briton won the sprint race before the Chinese Grand Prix. On the Shanghai track, he completed the 19 race laps fastest, making the most of his pole position.
Hamilton was attacked at the start by Max Verstappen, who started next to him from the front row in Red Bull. However, the current world champion was unable to gain an advantage in the fight with Hamilton and was forced to defend his second position. Four laps before the end, however, the Dutchman was overtaken by Oscar Piastre in McLaren. The Australian also didn't have the speed to chase Hamilton, but he had no trouble keeping his place ahead of Verstappen, who was clearly having major problems with his tires at the end of the race.
Piastri finished second, 6.889 seconds behind Hamilton, while Verstappen was third, 9.804 seconds behind.
Fourth was Briton George Russell in a Mercedes, 11.592 seconds behind the winner, followed by the second Ferrari car driven by Charles Leclerc. The Monaco driver was 12.190 seconds behind Hamilton. He was also the last of the first group of drivers to see the checkered flag in Shanghai. Sixth, ten seconds behind him, was Japanese Yuki Tsunoda in a RB, and seventh place went to Formula 1 rookie Kimi Antonelli (Italy/Mercedes). Last week's Australian Grand Prix winner Lando Norris (Great Britain) in McLaren finished eighth.
The sprint race went off without any major problems, with all 20 drivers at the start making it to the finish.
Qualifying for tomorrow's race, which is the second round of the 2025 season, will begin at 9:00 a.m. today.