Summary

  • Norris takes sprint race pole, Hamilton 2nd, Alonso 3rd

  • Drivers struggle on slippery track

  • Russell out in second session; Albon out in first session with Alpines

  • Delays caused by small track fires

  • Sprint race on Saturday before qualifying for Sunday's grand prix

  • Stroll topped practice

  • Chinese Grand Prix returns for first time since 2019

  • Get involved #bbcf1

  1. Postpublished at 10:17 British Summer Time 19 April

    Right, that's all from us for today.

    You can read Andrew Benson's full report on sprint qualifying here, catch up on all the reaction below and then join us in the early hours of tomorrow morning for the sprint race, which starts at 04:00 BST.

    Have a good Friday!

  2. 'Like driving on ice'published at 10:08 British Summer Time 19 April

    World champion Max Verstappen: "It never really switched on for me. It was just like driving on ice, that is why also I think we deserved where we are in qualifying, it isn't really working for me in the wet but it is not where we are in the dry.

    "It is not ideal to start on the inside here. We have to try and have the best start possible and then I think it will be quite a long stint on one tyres in the sprint."

  3. Postpublished at 10:04 British Summer Time 19 April

    Fernando Alonso, who finished third in sprint race qualifying, speaking to Sky Sports: "We were not super competitive on the dry. In the wet it was difficult to judge the level of grip and risk we wanted to apply but in the end I am happy.

    "We have a lot of racing laps in the weekend with the sprint race tomorrow and the race on Sunday. Let's see if we can qualify well for Sunday's race tomorrow and then we will see."

  4. 'The pressure was extreme'published at 10:00 British Summer Time 19 April

    It was a dream first home race for Zhou Guanyu as he secured a place in the top 10 for tomorrow's sprint race.

    "We will give everything," he told Sky Sports. "I am just happy with the first day and great to have everyone here.

    "The pressure before the weekend was so extreme, like I felt when I made my debut. Everyone is here and that is when you want to do well."

  5. 'I got excited when I saw the rain coming'published at 09:57 British Summer Time 19 April

    Lewis Hamilton, who finished second in sprint qualifying: "It was very tricky conditions. Not a lot of grip for everyone. But so happy, as soon as I saw the rain coming I was getting excited. In dry conditions were not quick enough."

    On tomorrow's sprint race: "It really depends what the conditions will be like. If they are like they were just now we have a chance of being up there."

  6. 'A chance to recover in the sprint race'published at 09:54 British Summer Time 19 April

    George Russell, speaking to Sky Sports: "It was not easy at all. We tried sending it as early as we could in Q2 but stuck behind the cars in the pit lane and lost the tyre temperature.

    "We have a chance to recover in the sprint race. And then have a chance in race qualifying tomorrow.

    "The grip is really low here for everybody compared to what we expected. There's no junior series here to help rubber the track in. It is quite challenging to judge but we have another chance tomorrow and maybe make some tweaks overnight."

  7. Postpublished at 09:49 British Summer Time 19 April

    Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, who says he was OK with Lando Norris getting his lap time reinstated, tells Sky Sports about Lewis Hamilton getting P2: "The driving is most important in the wet but it also shows it is about tyre preparation.

    "We did the right thing on the final run, the tyres were in the sweet spot, combined with the driving."

    On George Russell issues: "Our car in generating grip is not an easy task. We failed in Q1 and Q2 but got it right in Q3."

  8. What happened in sprint qualifying?published at 09:41 British Summer Time 19 April

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    Lando Norris beat Lewis Hamilton to take pole position for the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in a hectic wet session.

    The McLaren driver had his fastest lap time deleted and then reinstated in the final minutes of the session as he beat Hamilton by 1.261 seconds.

    Hamilton's Mercedes headed Fernando Alonso's Aston Martin by 0.714 seconds as Max Verstappen managed only fourth.

    The Red Bull driver made errors on two laps before sneaking in at the end.

    Red Bull's Sergio Perez in sixth split the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who took seventh despite a crash on his first lap that required a pit stop to replace a damaged front wing.

    McLaren's Oscar Piastri was eighth ahead of the Sauber of Valtteri Bottas and, delighting his home fans, Zhou Guanyu.

  9. Postpublished at 09:34 British Summer Time 19 April

    For anyone who got up for practice this morning at 04:30 BST well done, a top effort.

    However, it is even earlier tomorrow with the sprint race getting under way at 04:00 BST.

    Not a pleasant time to be getting up, but with that top four and the potential for more rain it promises to be a thrilling start.

  10. Postpublished at 09:28 British Summer Time 19 April

    Lando Norris, who secured first for tomorrow's sprint race: "It was [wild]. I am extremely happy, big thanks to the team. It was tricky.

    "I was quite happy how we were in the dry, I was nervous. I was quick, I kept catching the Ferrari so had to keep backing off. I got a good final lap. I am happy, sad it is not for a proper qualifying but good enough.

    "It was good fun, it gets your heart going. A nice surprise and a good position for tomorrow."

  11. The restpublished at 09:25 British Summer Time 19 April

    11) Russell

    12) Magnussen

    13) Hulkenberg

    14) Ricciardo

    15) Stroll

    16) Gasly

    17) Ocon

    18) Albon

    19) Tsunoda

    20) Sargeant

  12. Postpublished at 09:24 British Summer Time 19 April

    What a cracking battle that promises to be into the first corner.

  13. Top 10published at 09:24 British Summer Time 19 April

    1) Norris (1:57.940)

    2) Hamilton

    3) Alonso

    4) Verstappen

    5) Sainz

    6) Perez

    7) Leclerc

    8) Piastri

    9) Bottas

    10) Zhou

  14. chequered flag

    Chequered flagpublished at 09:22 British Summer Time 19 April

    Lando Norris secures pole position for the sprint race for the Chinese Grand Prix.

  15. Norris lap reinstatedpublished at 09:22 British Summer Time 19 April

    Oh wait, now Lando Norris has his lap time reinstated! He's going to take pole position!

  16. Now Hamilton has provisional polepublished at 09:21 British Summer Time 19 April

    Oh it is all happening!

    Lewis Hamilton clocks a 1:59.321 to go quickest. He's knocked off provisional pole by Lando Norris soon after, but then Norris has his time deleted!

  17. Postpublished at 09:19 British Summer Time 19 April

    Charles Leclerc can only go third quickest, 0.353 seconds off Fernando Alonso's time.

  18. Alonso on provisional polepublished at 09:19 British Summer Time 19 April

    Now Fernando Alonso goes quickest! He has provisional pole position with just a minute to go.

  19. Postpublished at 09:17 British Summer Time 19 April

    Oscar Piastri is "fastest" with 2:02.598, before Sergio Perez does manage to find two more seconds on that slippery circuit to go top of the order.

  20. Postpublished at 09:15 British Summer Time 19 April

    Max Verstappen, on a flying lap, is cautiously taking the corner before picking up a bit of speed down the straight and then runs wide at turn six.