lewis hamilton will start third for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix and says he will deploy a “different tactic” on Sunday as he pursues Mercedes and a first podium in red, after praising Kimi Antonelli’s record-setting pole in Shanghai.
Kimi Antonelli Becomes F1’s Youngest Polesitter
The 19-year-old Italian, who stepped into Hamilton’s former Mercedes seat, secured his maiden Formula One pole and became the youngest polesitter in the sport’s history, eclipsing a benchmark that had stood since 2008. Antonelli heads an all-Mercedes front row with George Russell alongside after the Briton recovered from mechanical issues in qualifying to take second.
Hamilton, lining up third, congratulated Antonelli and said the teenager “really deserves” the milestone after a breakout Saturday. The Ferrari driver’s grid spot matches his best qualifying result since joining the team and comes on the back of a lively Sprint that previewed the likely fight at the front.
Lewis Hamilton Targets First Ferrari Podium
Hamilton’s immediate aim is clear: turn encouraging single-lap pace and early-race aggression into a full-distance result. He said he is “hunting and chasing” Mercedes, while acknowledging the task ahead. He cited internal data indicating the rival team’s advantage over a race stint, and emphasized that execution—not a flat-out chase at any cost—will decide his Sunday.
The Shanghai Sprint offered clues. Hamilton burst from fourth to first by the end of the opening lap and swapped the lead repeatedly with Russell before slipping to third, with tyre wear and energy use leaving him vulnerable late on. He said the tire degradation was too high to replicate over a grand prix distance and vowed to adjust his approach.
“I have to figure out a different tactic, ” Hamilton said, noting that he had already tweaked energy deployment for qualifying and would refine it further for the race. He added that getting drawn into an early dogfight risks overheating the tyres and compromising the finish. The goal, he said, is to go the distance while keeping pace as long as possible.
Mercedes Pace And The Strategic Equation
Ferrari’s race hinges on more than a clean launch. Hamilton suggested Mercedes may still hold an edge—one he believes could be narrowed with strategy, track position, or an exceptional start. He stressed that he must avoid “killing” his tyres to either keep up with the cars ahead or keep one behind, pointing to measured race craft as the route to a top-three.
Hamilton has fashioned momentum after a challenging previous campaign in which he finished a season without a podium for the first time in his career and, at one stage, voiced such frustration that he even urged Ferrari to replace him. The upturn has been tangible in recent weeks: he finished fourth in Australia and now starts from the sharp end in Shanghai, targeting a first top-three finish in 477 days.
Antonelli’s landmark pole also reframes the battle for Sunday. The teenager, praised by Hamilton for stepping into the sport at pace, has shown raw speed but is still learning the dynamics at the front of a grand prix. Russell’s speed—despite earlier qualifying gremlins—adds another layer to Mercedes’ threat. That leaves Ferrari focusing on launch performance, stint management, and undercut or overcut windows to unsettle the silver cars ahead.
For lewis hamilton, the path is narrow but clear: stay within striking range, keep the tyres alive, and force Mercedes into tough decisions. If the opening lap and pit sequences break his way, the wait for a first Ferrari podium could end in Shanghai.
