Eighteen minutes of the first part of qualifying is under way.

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

We do not know what is going to be the fastest driver combination today, I suspect the Ferraris are the only cars that can challenge the Red Bull, but I wouldn't be surprised if it actually did.

There's a queue already at the pit lane exit with drivers desperate to get cracking.

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton has the most pole positions for the Chinese Grand Prix with six.

However, he knows it would take something special for him to add a seventh today as, while he finished a superb second in the sprint race, the Mercedes doesn't have the one-lap pace to beat the Red Bulls and Ferraris.

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Fernando Alonso was involved in an exciting tussle for third in the sprint race before eventually losing out to Carlos Sainz.

However, that proved costly in more ways than one. He was deemed at fault after clashing with Sainz on the track, causing a puncture on his Aston Martin and leading him to retiring from the race.

In addition, he was given a 10 second time penalty for that sprint race - meaningless as he retired - but also three penalty points on his licence.

Ian Fergusson
BBC weather forecaster

With 15 minutes to Q1, air temp is 21.7C & the track 34.8C. Wind from the NW, with gusts to 20mph in the past hour. Dry, with no risk of rain.

Image source, Getty Images

The gap between the sprint race and qualifying has been a busy one for Ferrari mechanics as Charles Leclerc was clearly unhappy with his car and tweaks have been made.

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It is the familiar drill for qualifying, with the one hour session getting under way at 08:00 BST.

As ever, it consists of three parts, losing five drivers in each of the first two before we have the top 10 shootout for pole position.

You can listen to live commentary via this page and BBC Sounds.

Hello!

Welcome back if you were with us for the sprint and welcome along if you are just joining us for qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.

The sprint race got off to an intriguing start as Lewis Hamilton got himself into the lead on the first lap, but Max Verstappen eventually powered through after sorting out some battery issues.

So no real surprises in the outcome of that, but what could qualifying have in store for us?

Andrew Benson
BBC F1 correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Max Verstappen fought past Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso to win the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race.

Pole-sitter Lando Norris slid wide at the first corner trying to fend off Hamilton's Mercedes.

Verstappen took a few laps to find his feet in the Red Bull but soon homed in on his rivals ahead.

Alonso hung on until late on when Ferrari's Carlos Sainz overtook him before Red Bull's Sergio Perez took advantage to pass both for third.

Sainz then fought with team-mate Charles Leclerc, the two Ferraris touching wheels at the hairpin before an unhappy Leclerc prevailed to take fourth ahead of the Spaniard and a disappointed Norris.

Alonso, after pitting to change a tyre punctured in his clash with Sainz, was told within a lap to retire the car because of damage.

Right, everyone has a couple of hours to make the somewhat unusual switch mentally from race mode to qualifying mode, with Chinese Grand Prix qualifying getting under way at 08:00 BST.

I'll leave you with Andrew Benson's sprint race report and we will see you in a couple of hours.

Sergio Perez finished third in the Red Bull, he said: “It was really difficult to get through Carlos and Fernando were fighting and obviously we all had high degradation following each other and at some point I also had to defend from Charles. I managed to get by Fernando and Carlos, they got a little bit too close, I saw the opportunity and I went for it, we finished really close to Lewis.”

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins the first Sprint race of the season, he said afterwards: “The first few laps were quite hectic, they were pushing quite hard at front and I had Carlos behind with new tyres so it was very difficult initially. But we became stronger and I felt more comfortable with the balance of the car as well and I could look after my tyres so very pleased with that.”

On the qualifying session later, he added: “I think qualifying is important to get in a good starting position and will help a lot in the first few laps and then tomorrow I don't know, the wind is changing a lot everyday that makes it quite difficult to drive."

Lewis Hamilton, who finished second: "Every time I have come here the crowd has been so, so supportive. That's the best result I've had in a long time. I am super happy and grateful. Of course we couldn't fight the Red Bulls but this is a huge step and improvement.

"I found out a lot about the car in this short stint for the race, so I'm excited for tomorrow.

"We are still not as quick on a single lap as the Ferraris, Red Bulls and McLarens and perhaps the Aston Martins. I don't anticipate we will fight for the front row, but hopefully we will have a better qualifying session than we have had in the past."

Lewis Hamilton has won the Chinese Grand Prix six times and he is clearly very popular here as he gets a huge cheer when he speaks to the crowd.

Lando Norris had it all do after a poor start cost him. He dropped back to seventh and managed to gain one place to finish sixth.

11) Ricciardo

12) Bottas

13) Ocon

14) Stroll

15) Gasly

16) Tsunoda

17) Albon

18) Sargeant

19) Hulkenberg

Retired: Alonso

1) Verstappen

2) Hamilton

3) Perez

4) Leclerc

5) Sainz

6) Norris

7) Piastri

8) Russell

9) Zhou

10) Magnussen

Harry Benjamin
BBC F1 Commentator

Lewis Hamilton will be elated to come home P2 in a Mercedes that is struggling and is off the pace in normal conditions.