anthony davidson Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc wound up fourth and sixth respectively for Ferrari during Sprint Qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit, a result that left one driver buoyant and the other frustrated as the team confronts a clear shortfall on straight-line pace.
Hamilton Pleased But Cites Power Deficit
Hamilton led the Ferrari pairing in Sprint Qualifying after an SQ3 effort that put him fourth on the Sprint grid, nestled between the McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. He described the session as one he was “really pleased” with, stressing strong cornering performance but signaling a persistent loss of time on the straights that demands work at the Maranello factory to improve power output.
Leclerc Frustrated After SQ3 Drop
Leclerc called the session “frustrating” after setting the third-fastest time in SQ2 but then dropping to sixth in SQ3, three-and-a-half tenths slower than his team mate. He cited a toggle issue earlier and then a mysterious loss of around half a second on the back straight during his second SQ3 lap, an anomaly the team said it would analyse. Despite the qualifying deficit, he expressed hope the race could show a somewhat stronger performance.
Anthony Davidson: Wing Experiment, Power Unit Gap and Race Outlook
Ferrari trialled a ‘flip-flop’ rear wing in FP1 before reverting to the specification used in the season opener in Australia. Hamilton said the wing had been rushed to the venue, with only two units available, and that it may have been premature to run it. The team removed the new wing and plans to refine and reintroduce it when ready.
Both drivers highlighted the same central challenge: Mercedes appears to be finding a significant amount of lap time, particularly from its power unit in Qualifying, while Ferrari sees a narrower gap in race trim. Hamilton noted the new regulations rollout timing that left Ferrari chasing early gains made by others, and Leclerc reiterated that the team expects to be relatively closer in race conditions.
The Sprint Qualifying outcomes and the wing decision underline key choices Ferrari must get right before race day. Teams will now analyse the straight-line deficit, the wing’s impact on balance, and the toggle issue that interrupted Leclerc’s decisive lap. The sequence of events leaves Ferrari with work to do overnight to try to close the margin and convert qualifying positions into stronger Sprint and race performance.
anthony davidson
