Oscar Piastri took the first Grand Prix pole position of his F1 career, topping the order in Qualifying in China.
The McLaren driver had been unable to challenge at the top in the first two phases of Qualifying, but took charge in Q3 with two laps that were both fast enough to put him at the front of the grid.
George Russell put in a last-gasp effort to deny McLaren a front row lock-out, falling 0.082s short of Piastri and pushing Lando Norris back to third.
Piastri's 1m 30.641s is a new circuit record, toppling Lewis Hamilton's Sprint Qualifying best, by 0.208s - the time also 3.019s faster than Max Verstappen's 2024 pole lap.
Click go on the video player above to ride onboard with Piastri for his flying lap in China.
Next Up
Related Articles
Hadjar explains what makes Verstappen such a tough driver
UnlockedPALMER: Why George Russell’s Baku win was so impressive
What time is the 2026 Bahrain GP and how can I watch it?
Mercedes reveal special livery for Bahrain GP in Malaysia
Where does Russell’s Baku win rank in the closest F1 finishes?
F1 Business Summit adds new Las Vegas speakers