McLaren were the favorites for the Sprint Qualifying in Shanghai, but from the very beginning of the session, Ferrari #44 appeared to be the closest competitor. At the decisive moment, however, an imperfect strategy and execution from the papaya team, combined with a highly competitive SF25 and a stunning performance from Hamilton, made Ferrari’s upset victory possible. This analysis takes a deep dive into the Ferrari-McLaren battle in the Chinese Sprint Qualifying with the aid of telemetry, comparing the fast laps of Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri.
Lewis Hamilton’s driving in S1 makes the difference
First of all, the Maranello car shows significantly more efficiency, allowing it to reach a top speed 7 kph higher (319 HAM vs 312 PIA).
Lewis Hamilton’s pole position, however, was built from the first sector, where his different driving approach proved decisive. Telemetry data highlights how his wider racing line with two apexes—observed in his onboard footage through Turn 1—translated into better exit speed. The Ferrari driver lifted off the throttle and braked later, which initially forced him to go wider, but this very trajectory allowed him to exit the corner with less steering angle. As a result, he could apply the throttle earlier, reaching 91% throttle opening compared to Oscar Piastri’s 73%. This section alone earned Hamilton more than two-tenths. However, the McLaren managed to recover some of the gap with better traction and steering angle, but the SF25’s efficiency reversed the trend in the second half of the straight. By the braking zone of Turn 6, Lewis Hamilton reached 290 kph compared to Piastri’s 285 kph and was able to brake later, gaining 0.185s.
Telemetry Analysis HAM-PIA Sprint Qualifying China. Source F1inGenerale
S2: Ferrari shows downforce and balance
In the second sector, Ferrari proved very competitive in high-speed corners (T7) as well as medium- and low-speed sections (T8-T9). Despite its superior efficiency, the SF25’s remarkable downforce and balance allowed Hamilton to carry more speed and be aggressive on the throttle. Notably, in T8, Lewis Hamilton maintained 25% throttle, while Oscar Piastri lifted off completely. Similarly, on exit, Hamilton went full throttle, whereas Piastri only reached 81% throttle opening. However, McLaren reaffirmed its competitiveness in traction through the T9 exit combination.
S3: Lewis Hamilton nearly loses pole
The third sector consists of a long straight and Turns 14-16. On the straight, Ferrari fully exploited its efficiency, reaching 5 kph more (337 HAM vs 332 PIA). However, at the braking zone of Turn 14, Lewis Hamilton braked later but excessively, as he slowed too much on exit, losing significant lap time. Heading into the final corners, Oscar Piastri carried more speed and braked earlier to optimize his exit, a winning strategy. These two moments almost completely erased Lewis Hamilton’s four-and-a-half tenths advantage. Nevertheless, the multiple world champion held on and managed to cross the finish line in first place—by just 80 milliseconds.
Source: f1ingenerale
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