2025 Chinese Grand Prix - Practice, Sprint & Qualifying Thread

[stefa]

Ferrari need to lock 2nd row to put any pressure on McLaren.

Currently Russel & Max are the blockers.

Don't see how

[patrese86]

That’s a bit better from us. I actually think as things stand its probably a fair reflection of true pace, we are 2/3 tenths off and that can be found over a season.

[nani_s23]

If Ham can replicate the sprint pole Lap once again, that would put him at P2/P3.

Leclerc need to nail the final lap. He never broke into 1.30’s all the weekend.

[stefa]

3rd row.

[nani_s23]

Should appreciate Russel on reading the track conditions. He’s always there.

Seems like Ferrari need to work on the car.

[tifosi1993]

Lost pace. Was faster yesterday. Everyone improved by 2-5 tenths, we are slower by a tenth.

[PURE PASSION]

Looks like we are struggling a bit I 1 lap today.
Doesn't matter.
Let's see what our race pace is tomorrow and move on

[patrese86]

Russell and Max can disrupt the McLarens, our race pace is better than both of those looking at the Sprint race.

Everyone lost time in S2 except Russell. Strange

[Aviamata]

Btw , 2012 season vibe . Everyone have a chance to win

[BAT340]

And more disappointment.

[tifosi1993]

Out of the top 10, Charles is the slowest in the sector 2

[patrese86]

Remember Fred said this track wasn’t really suited to our car so with a sprint race already won and Charles doing well towards the end of the sprint we can still look forward to the race.

Russell celebrating like he’s just got Pole. Odd man

[PURE PASSION]

A mini outcome is thay the car has potential but it's sensitive to the slightest change of conditions and then can lose quit a bit of performance.
If/ when we can find that sweet balance and keep it , we can be race winners.
But everything is to be confirmed.

[nani_s23]

Lost pace. Was faster yesterday. Everyone improved by 2-5 tenths, we are slower by a tenth.

Tyres tyres tyres…!!

[Greig]

Panty wetters back out....oh well.

Race is tomorrow.

[Lesky]

Red Bull "the one man gang", has it ever happened before that one driver is fighting for pole with the other finishing pretty much last in 3 straight Q sessions?

Its advantage for Verstappen that his teammate can not take points from him in the drivers standings, but at the same time he is getting zero help and Ferrari and McLaren can play alternate strategies against him.

It still too early to tell exactly where teams are, bases on race pace in the sprint Russell was not much behind Verstappen at all, so its all a bit of an unknown.

Poor Sainz does not deserve to be in that Williams car, I feel for him!

Is this one of Lewis strongs tracks historically? It seems that he has some tracks that he is on rails and is just superb!

[nani_s23]

Lewis was complaining about tyre prep on the radio.

As I said it’s all about tyres & brining them into window. Unfortunately Ferrari didn’t find the grip that it wanted.

[Brembo]

It's great to see Sr Lewis is not old and washed up! Meanwhile; Charles wake up!! Monegasques rep is at stake!

[PURE PASSION]

I don't have high hopes for tomorrow's race result.
Because the others in front are strong too and as Lec showed us even with better pace you can't overtake easily.
For me I want at least to be among the fastest on pure pace.
This will be a good starting point to evolve the car later .
Vasseur from the beginning had pointed out that this year was will be quite aggressive with the upgrade plan and that they choose this particular type of front suspension and general car layout, with this point of view .To be able to have large margin with updates!!!
Let's see
Quite strange first 2 races till now with lots of overturns!!!

[paolo lalli]

It's all about the tyres who would have thought that this element would determine F1.Ferrari can be happy with the quali result,as we know no points for pole the race is long.I believe the ferrari race pace will be ok over the long runs.I can see the Sf25 starting to evolve with more to come.Papaya are at the limit now.

[Alfa159]

Panty wetters back out....oh well.


Race is tomorrow.

People having an opinion based on qualifying are panty wetters? Using your logic you can't have an opinion until the race. 🤦*♂️🤦*♂️😂😂

[nani_s23]

I don't have high hopes for tomorrow's race result.
Because the others in front are strong too and as Lec showed us even with better pace you can't overtake easily.
For me I want at least to be among the fastest on pure pace.
This will be a good starting point to evolve the car later .
Vasseur from the beginning had pointed out that this year was will be quite aggressive with the upgrade plan and that they choose this particular type of front suspension and general car layout, with this point of view .To be able to have large margin with updates!!!
Let's see
Quite strange first 2 races till now with lots of overturns!!!

On this track dirty air is bad, hopefully Ferrari play with strategy to maximise the points

[Lesky]

The good news is that Verstappen is not in the best car, all the others seems prone to make mistakes, especially Norris and Piastri!

[ntukza]

Well, one way of shutting up your long-time critics who constantly referred to you as a mediocre beneficiary of a magnificent car is to join their team and beat their fave.

[PURE PASSION]

Hamilton explains Ferrari's step back: "We made some changes to improve the race performance, making the car more difficult on a single lap"

[Greig]

Hamilton explains Ferrari's step back: "We made some changes to improve the race performance, making the car more difficult on a single lap"

Hopefully works in the race then.

[330 p4]

A mini outcome is thay the car has potential but it's sensitive to the slightest change of conditions and then can lose quit a bit of performance.
If/ when we can find that sweet balance and keep it , we can be race winners.
But everything is to be confirmed.

Season to this point I would say thats true for everyone. Russel wasnt anywhere then out of nowhere did that lap. RB cars both were right near the top at points. I think tyres are on a knife edge for all and so nearly anyone can have a great performance at any point. Reminds me of 2012 when 1st load of racesball different cars and drivers were winning. It's all tyre management and prep at the moment whoever gets a read on the tyres across different tracks and conditions will be in the driving seat.

[PURE PASSION]

Hopefully works in the race then.

On the other hand Lec sounded more down beat and that this was the cars potential.
But probably it's just that Lec is struggling in this race ,can't find the balance/ feeling so for him yea that could be the cars potential. Ham can extract more .

[Aviamata]

Season to this point I would say thats true for everyone. Russel wasnt anywhere then out of nowhere did that lap. RB cars both were right near the top at points. I think tyres are on a knife edge for all and so nearly anyone can have a great performance at any point. Reminds me of 2012 when 1st load of racesball different cars and drivers were winning. It's all tyre management and prep at the moment whoever gets a read on the tyres across different tracks and conditions will be in the driving seat.

I agree ! Noticed that too . Third row now is not as bad as last year .

[nani_s23]

On the other hand Lec sounded more down beat and that this was the cars potential.
But probably it's just that Lec is struggling in this race ,can't find the balance/ feeling so for him yea that could be the cars potential. Ham can extract more .

Car has the potential, it doesn’t have right balance. Team is unable to unlock the performance due to multiple reasons. Car set up + tyre pressure.

It’s working good till Q2, all of a sudden they loose performance in Q2 & Q3. Which mean combination of bad tyre prep lap + SF-25 does have very limited window.

This was the trend in 2024 as well where they couldn’t extract the performance on a single lap.