P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 Chinese GP: Norris takes sprint pole in chaotic dry-to-wet qualifying
Rain arrived at the end of the SQ2 session in Shanghai, leading to the use of intermediate tires for the final stage of qualifying. Track conditions were slippery, causing multiple drivers to go off track, including Charles Leclerc. Despite challenges, Lewis Hamilton secured pole position with a sub-two-minute lap. Lando Norris briefly held provisional pole before his time was reinstated, resulting in an all-British front row for the sprint race. Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen completed the top three, with Norris starting from second. Ferrari’s struggles continued, with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc qualifying in fifth and sixth. Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu completed the top 10 for the race. George Russell narrowly missed out on progressing to SQ3 after rain hampered his final qualifying attempt. McLare’s Daniel Ricciardo and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also faced disappointment as they failed to advance in sprint qualifying.