2025 Chinese GP Qualifying Results: Full Starting Grid for the Race

Oscar Piastri pulled off a stunning lap in Shanghai to put himself on the pole for the 2025 Chinese GP on Sunday. The McLaren driver posted a brilliant 1:30.641 on the timesheet to claim his first-ever pole position. George Russell of Mercedes starts from P2 and from the front row.

One of the most consistent drivers in the last few races, Russell put himself on the front row and became the lead Mercedes driver at the Shanghai International Circuit on Saturday. He was 0.082 seconds slower than the McLaren driver.

Australian GP winner Lando Norris starts from P3, alongside reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who is in P4. The winner of the Sprint race on Saturday, Lewis Hamilton starts the race from P5, ahead of his teammate Charles Leclerc.

Isack Hadjar impressed everyone when he pulled off a miracle and posted 1:31.079 on the clock to set himself in P7, alongside Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, another rookie this season. Yuki Tsunoda of Racing Bulls, Hadjar's teammate, starts from P9, ahead of Alex Albon of Williams.

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Here's how the rest of the grid forms for the main race on Sunday in Chinese GP:

#1 Oscar Piastri - McLaren

#2 George Russell - Mercedes

#3 Lando Norris - McLaren

#4 Max Verstappen - Red Bull

#5 Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari

#6 Charles Leclerc - Ferrari

#7 Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls

#8 Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes

#9 Yuki Tsunoda - Racing Bulls

#10 Alex Albon - Williams

#11 Esteban Ocon - Haas

#12 Nico Hulkenberg - Kick Sauber

#13 Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin

#14 Lance Stroll - Aston Martin

#15 Carlos Sainz - Williams

#16 Pierre Gasly - Alpine

#17 Oliver Bearman - Haas

#18 Jack Doohan - Alpine

#19 Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber

#20 Liam Lawson - Red Bull

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Oscar Piastri looking to make the best use of pole position and stay ahead in Chinese GP

Aarif Lee presents the Pirelli Pole Position Award to Oscar Piastri of Australia and the McLaren F1 Team - Source: Getty

Following his pole at the Chinese GP qualifying, Oscar Piastri shared his primary aim to stay in front and make the best use of the position. Here's what the McLaren driver said, in the post-qualifying interview:

"I just have to make sure I keep that clean air (to save the tires) but I was pretty happy after the Sprint, so I feel like we learned a lot and looking forward to putting that into use tomorrow," Piastri said.

"Q3 just found a lot of pace, Q1 and Q2 I was genuinely struggling. The car came alive in Q3 and I came alive in Q3. I'm just pumped to be on pole, I'm very happy. I'll take the fastest lap of Shanghai!," the #81 driver further added.

Staying ahead in the clean air would significantly push a driver towards victory in Shanghai at the Chinese GP as they will not have to deal with the dirty air, and therefore the significant tire degradation, something that bogged down drivers like Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, or Lando Norris during the Sprint race.

Compared to them, Lewis Hamilton, who started the Sprint on the pole, had to endure far lesser tire degradation and paced himself to victory with seven seconds to spare. That too from the pole sitter of the Chinese GP.