The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix revved up with an intense first practice session on Friday, spotlighting Lando Norris as the one to beat. The upgraded Shanghai circuit played a pivotal role, blessing drivers with enhanced grip and stirring up the competition on the leaderboard.
Norris Leads With Precision
McLaren's Lando Norris dazzled fans with his craft, clocking a whopping 1:31.504. This precision driving saw him take the top of the charts, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc trailing by +0.454s and teammate Oscar Piastri close behind at +0.649s. This setup the groundwork for an exhilarating qualifying run.
The practice session wasn't just about the stopwatch. Lewis Hamilton showed strong form for Ferrari, sliding into fourth place. Meanwhile, George Russell kept Mercedes in the hunt, rounding the top five.
Drama and Red Flags
The session had its share of drama, especially with Alpine’s Jack Doohan faced a setback when his power steering malfunctioned, bringing out the red flag. This hiccup temporarily halted the action, leaving teams to recalibrate their strategies amid the brief pause.
Kick Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg turned heads, claiming a respectable sixth. On the other hand, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen had a day he would rather forget, struggling for pace and ultimately landing in the 16th spot after calling off his soft-tyre run attempt.
The resurfaced track not only lent to the excitement but also prompted teams to go on a learning spree as they gathered sparse practice data to prepare for the upcoming sprint qualifying. With the anticipation skyrocketing, teams have much to decode in realizing their strategies for the weekend ahead.
As the intricate dance of racing strategies and speed continues, fans eagerly anticipate what the next rounds hold, hoping the race weekend keeps serving adrenaline-packed performances.
