Summary

  • Hamilton takes first Ferrari pole position for sprint race

  • Verstappen 2nd, Piastri 3rd, Norris 5th

  • Norris topped practice

  • Tributes as legendary team boss and pundit Eddie Jordan passes away

  • Get involved #bbcf1, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

  • Sprint race weekends explained

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. Go! Go! Go!

    Put 12 minutes on the clock. SQ1 is green.

  2. Weather update

    While the skies in Shanghai are blue and the temperatures are warm, the gusty wind did give drivers a few issues during first practice. Will it be the same in sprint qualifying?

    Shanghai weather

  3. Who took sprint pole in China last season?

    It was a hectic wet session last year in China, with four-time world champion Max Verstappen describing the conditions like driving on ice.

    Lando Norris beat then Mercedes man Lewis Hamilton to sprint pole when his fastest lap time was deleted and then reinstated in the final minutes of the session. Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso was third and Verstappen was fourth, the Dutchman making errors on two laps before sneaking in at the end.

  4. Harry's five things to watch in China

    Chinese GP preview: Can Ferrari bounce back?

    BBC Radio 5 Live F1 commentator Harry Benjamin has picked out five things to look out for at the Chinese Grand Prix, with Ferrari aiming to recover from a disappointing opening race and Red Bull's "second-seat curse" continuing.

  5. How does sprint qualifying work?

    Hold on to your hats if you've never experienced sprint qualifying, as this session goes by quickly.

    Setting the grid for the 100km sprint race, which will be 19 laps, has three sessions (like normal qualifying), with the slowest five cars eliminated at the end of the first two. These sessions last just 12, 10 and eight minutes, respectively.

    Drivers are mandated to use a fresh set of the medium compound in both SQ1 and SQ2. In SQ3, drivers must use a set of soft tyres, but they can be new or used.

  6. Norris quickest in FP1

    Lando NorrisEPA

    Last weekend's Australian Grand Prix winner Lando Norris was the fastest man on track on the soft tyres in first practice, with Charles Leclerc's Ferrari 0.454 seconds behind and the other McLaren of Oscar Piastri in third. The revamped circuit in Shanghai offering up significantly better lap times than last season.

    Defending champion Max Verstappen aborted his attempt, so we're yet to see what the Dutchman has in his locker when it comes to a qualifying run.

  7. Welcome back

    Oscar Piastri race helmetReuters

    Hello, folks. It's all eyes on the sprint race now so if you didn't get it right in practice, tough.

    China is hosting the opening sprint event of the season followed by Miami, Belgium, Austin, Brazil and Qatar.

    Sprint qualifying, which set the grid for tomorrow's 100km dash, goes green at 07:30 GMT.

    Commentary is on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, at the top of this page using the 'listen live' tab and via most smart speakers by asking BBC Sounds to play Chinese Grand Prix spring qualifying.

    Harry Benjamin, British racing driver Alice Powell and F1 correspondent Andrew Benson will be with us shortly.

  8. Norris tops Chinese GP practice

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Lando NorrisGetty Images

    McLaren's Lando Norris set the pace from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc in Friday practice at the Chinese Grand Prix.

    Norris was 0.454 seconds quicker than Leclerc with a lap right at the end of the only session before sprint qualifying later on Friday.

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri was third fastest despite running wide into the gravel at the final corner, ending up 0.649secs off the pace.

    Norris also left some time on the table on his fastest lap, washing wide through the long Turn One.

    Read the full report here

  9. Back for sprint qualifying from 07:15 GMT

    That was a busy session. Alpine are going to investigate what happened to Jack Doohan's car during the break, so hopefully the Australian will be back out and firing on all cylinders for sprint qualifying.

    Shall we take a pit stop here and come back together at 07:15 GMT? Perfect.

    See you shortly!

    Jack DoohanGetty Images

  10. Chequered Flag podcast: Eddie Jordan Tribute

    x

    The F1: Chequered Flag team pay tribute to Eddie Jordan, who has died at the age of 76. Mark Gallagher, who was part of the management board at Jordan Grand Prix, and Gary Anderson, who designed the very first Jordan Grand Prix car, join Harry Benjamin and BBC F1 correspondent Andrew Benson.

    Listen to the podcast on BBC Sounds here

  11. And the rest

    11. Ollie Bearman (Haas)

    12. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    13. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

    14. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)

    15. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    16. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)

    17. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)

    18. Liam lawson (Red Bull)

    19. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)

    20. Jack Doohan (Alpine)

  12. Top 10

    1. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 1:31.504

    2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.454

    3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.649

    4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.691

    5. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.873

    6. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber) +1.003

    7. Alex Albon (Williams) +1.183

    8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) +1.262

    9. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) +1.370

    10. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) +1.430

  13. chequered flag

    Chequered flag

    That's your lot for practice in China.

    Lando Norris puts down the quickest marker on the soft tyre with a 1:31.504, Charles Leclerc is second, 0.454 seconds behind and Oscar Piastri finishes third in the other McLaren.

    Defending champion Max Verstappen aborted his lap, so the Dutchman is down in 16th place.

    Lando NorrisGetty Images

  14. Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg puts his car in sixth place.

  15. Norris goes top

    Williams' Alex Albon, Racing Bulls' Yuki Tsunoda and Briton Ollie Bearman in the Haas are all in the top 10 after their first quick runs on the soft tyre.

    Lando Norris is going for another lap and his engineer tells him the main opportunity is Turn Eight. "I know," he says. The McLaren man is back to the top of the timesheets with a 1:31.504.

  16. Leclerc goes quickest

    Charles Leclerc is the man to beat on the softs, clocking a 1:32.103 on his opening flying lap. George Russell doesn't improve on his red run and is now fourth on the timesheets. Lewis Hamilton was only marginally off his Ferrari team-mate's time, but Lando Norris has split the pair with a 1:32.161.

    Charles LeclercGetty Images

  17. George Russell is the quickest man on the medium compound so far but what can the Mercedes man do on the soft tyre? The Briton is one of the first to go for a flyer along with Charles Leclerc, with the Ferrari driver fastest in the opening sector.

  18. Track clear

    The red flag is cleared and Jack Doohan has made his way back to the pits via a handy lift from a moped. Cars are queuing to get out of the pit lane on those C4 soft tyres.

  19. red flag

    Jack Doohan has come to a stop in the run-off area of the middle sector, highlighting he had "no power steering" as his Alpine gave up on the Shanghai circuit. The clock is ticking down and with only one session before sprint qualifying later on, will drivers have enough time to bank some decent laps on the soft tyres?

  20. red flag

    Doohan comes to a stop

    Teenager Kimi Antonelli has important information for Pete Bonnington, telling his new race engineer his front left tyre is blistering. Bono replies that other teams are struggling with the same tyre, so a few moments later the Italian comes back into the pits.

    Jack Doohan has stopped in the Alpine. The Australian jumps out of the car safely and walks away, but now the red flag is out with only 12 minutes left of the session.