Event: Chinese Grand Prix
Track: Shanghai International Circuit

Weather: 19.8°C sunny & dry
Tarmac: 37°C dry
Humidity: 19.0%
Wind: 3.9 km//h

Chinese GP FP1: Norris Dominates as Verstappen Struggles in Shanghai Shake-up

The second round of the 2025 Formula 1 season got off to a thrilling start at the Shanghai International Circuit, where teams faced the added pressure of a Sprint weekend—meaning just one practice session before heading straight into Sprint Qualifying. With a sunny 23°C setting the stage, the session delivered plenty of drama, surprise performances, and a red flag incident that briefly halted the action.

Norris Leads the Charge for McLaren

Lando Norris wasted no time asserting McLaren’s authority, laying down a blistering 1m31.504s to top the session by nearly half a second over Charles Leclerc. While Oscar Piastri had the pace to be in the mix, a costly trip through the gravel saw him lose seven tenths in the final sector, relegating him to third behind Leclerc.

The session hinted at a McLaren vs Ferrari battle, with both teams locking out the top four spots—Piastri and Carlos Sainz rounding out the leading quartet. The fight at the front looks set to intensify, with Piastri likely eager to prove he can match his teammate when it truly counts.

Verstappen’s Low-Key Start Sparks Questions

Max Verstappen finished a lowly 16th, but Red Bull fans shouldn’t be hitting the panic button just yet. The Dutchman aborted his soft-tyre flying lap and didn’t get a proper run when the track was at its fastest. The reigning champion instead focused on the medium tyres, opting for a different approach compared to the McLarens and Ferraris.

With just a few hours to fine-tune their setup before Sprint Qualifying, Red Bull will be working overtime to unlock the pace that saw them take victory at this track in 2024.

Doohan’s Alpine Drama Brings Out the Red Flags

There was an early scare for Alpine, as Jack Doohan pulled up with what he suspected was a power steering failure. The Australian rookie had to abandon his car, triggering the only red flag of the session. While Doohan appeared in good spirits as he waved to the crowd while walking back to the pit lane, Alpine will be concerned about their reliability heading into the rest of the weekend.

Midfield Tightens as Young Guns Impress

Further down the order, rookie Kimi Antonelli once again showed his class after his stunning P4 finish in Melbourne last weekend. The Italian slotted into eighth, outperforming more experienced names like Fernando Alonso and Sergio Perez. Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman recovered from a shaky start to climb into ninth, with Yuki Tsunoda rounding out the top ten.

The battle in the midfield is shaping up to be just as fierce as the fight at the front, with Williams and Racing Bulls looking particularly strong in Shanghai.

Sprint Qualifying Looms: Can McLaren Stay Ahead?

With Sprint Qualifying set for later in the day, the big question remains: can McLaren maintain their advantage, or will Ferrari and Red Bull find the extra pace needed to challenge for pole?

As track temperatures rise and the rubber continues to lay down, expect lap times to tumble and strategies to evolve rapidly. One thing is for certain—Shanghai’s return to the F1 calendar is already delivering plenty of intrigue.

Stay tuned as we head into Sprint Qualifying—the first of the season!

FP1 Lap Times 2025 Chinese GP

1:36,302 was the fastest lap time in FP1 of last year and was driven by Lance Stroll with a Aston Martin AMR24.

✅ Check out our 2025 Chinese Formula 1 Grand Prix preview.

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