P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Max Verstappen earned Red Bull’s 100th pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix, as Lewis Hamilton was dumped out early in Q1.
Max Verstappen’s dominance continued as he secured his sixth successive pole position at the Chinese Grand Prix, setting a career-best record for himself and marking Red Bull’s 100th pole. His time of 1:33.660 was the only lap under the 1:33 barrier in qualifying, showcasing his exceptional form since the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Verstappen’s achievement of securing pole in the first five races of a season makes him the first driver in the 21st century to do so, following in the footsteps of Mika Hakkinen in 1999. Red Bull now joins the elite club of Constructors with triple-figure pole positions, a milestone reached 15 years after Sebastian Vettel claimed their first pole at the 2009 Chinese GP. The historic qualifying session saw Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez complete a Red Bull one-two, with Fernando Alonso and Lando Norris completing the top four, while Lewis Hamilton endured a shock exit in Q1, finishing in 18th place. Carlos Sainz’s dramatic crash in Q2 added to the tension, setting the stage for a thrilling race at the Shanghai International Circuit.
