Hamilton Ends Podium Drought with Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton declared he is "back to his best" after securing third place at the Chinese Grand Prix, marking his first podium finish with Ferrari. The 41-year-old British driver outpaced his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc in a gripping battle, describing the race as the best he has ever experienced.
The Shanghai race saw Hamilton finish behind his Mercedes teammate George Russell, who took second place. Hamilton engaged in an intense, nearly race-long contest with Leclerc to claim third, his first podium since the Las Vegas Grand Prix in November 2024.
“I definitely feel like I’m back to my best, both mentally and physically,” Hamilton said. “I still think there’s room to improve. Training this winter has been the heaviest and the most intense that I’ve ever had, and that probably comes hand in hand with being older. It takes longer to recover.”
“It’s the hardest thing just to get a podium compared to a lot through my career, and it was the biggest challenge to get that and I just had to bide my time. Coming into the season I really cultivated that really positive mental attitude and I’m taking that forward with me.”
Challenges and Progress with Ferrari
This podium was particularly meaningful for Hamilton after a difficult debut season with Ferrari last year. The car was not competitive, and Hamilton struggled to adapt to his new team. He endured a series of poor results and some of the worst qualifying performances of his career, describing the season as a "nightmare" and appearing disheartened by its conclusion.
Following a significant reset during the winter, Hamilton has shown renewed vigor and pace, complemented by a Ferrari car that is more competitive and better suited to his driving style.
“I started this voyage and this dream of moving to Ferrari and being on the top step with them, and this podium has taken longer than I had hoped,” he said. “After a difficult year, to be able to be a part of developing with them, working with them over the past year, gives me huge pride.
“I do think there’s more to come. I think I can still eke out more performance from this car. I’m still learning about it as I go.”
Debate Over New F1 Regulations
The race also sparked discussion about the new Formula 1 regulations. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who retired from the Chinese GP due to an energy recovery system cooling issue, criticized the new rules sharply after the race.
“It’s terrible. If someone likes this, then you really don’t know what racing is like,” Verstappen said. “Not fun at all. Playing Mario Kart. This is not racing and I would say the same if I [were] winning races, because I care about the racing product. It’s not about being upset with where I am.”
“I don’t think it’s what the real F1 fans like,” Verstappen added. “Maybe some fans like it but they don’t understand racing. Hopefully we can get rid of this as soon as possible.”
Race Results and Standings
Final classification for the Chinese Grand Prix was as follows:
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Italy) - Mercedes
- George Russell (Great Britain) - Mercedes, +5.52 seconds
- Lewis Hamilton (Great Britain) - Ferrari, +25.27 seconds
- Charles Leclerc (Monaco) - Ferrari, +28.89 seconds
- Oliver Bearman (Great Britain) - Haas, +57.27 seconds
- Pierre Gasly (France) - Alpine, +59.65 seconds
- Liam Lawson (New Zealand) - RacingBulls, +1 minute 20.59 seconds
- Isack Hadjar (France) - Red Bull, +1 minute 27.25 seconds
- Carlos Sainz (Spain) - Williams, 1 lap behind
- Franco Colapinto (Argentina) - Alpine, 1 lap behind
- Nico Hülkenberg (Germany) - Audi, 1 lap behind
- Arvid Lindblad (Great Britain) - RacingBulls, 1 lap behind
- Valtteri Bottas (Finland) - Cadillac, 1 lap behind
- Esteban Ocon (France) - Haas, 1 lap behind
- Sergio Pérez (Mexico) - Cadillac, 1 lap behind
Not classified were Max Verstappen (Netherlands, Red Bull), Fernando Alonso (Spain, Aston Martin), and Lance Stroll (Canada, Aston Martin). Drivers who did not start included Oscar Piastri (Australia, McLaren), Lando Norris (Great Britain, McLaren), Gabriel Bortoleto (Brazil, Audi), and Alexander Albon (Thailand, Williams).
In the world drivers' championship standings, Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Italy) leads with 47 points.
Hamilton’s Perspective on the New Formula
Contrasting Verstappen’s criticism, Hamilton expressed a positive view of the new regulations. He noted the enthusiastic response from fans in Shanghai and praised the racing quality.
“I think it’s the best racing I’ve ever experienced in Formula One,” Hamilton said. “The cars are easier to follow, much better than past years. You can get very close, there’s not a bad wake where you’re losing too much downforce.
“Hopefully it was an exciting race to watch because it was awesome in the car. It felt like go-karting, back and forth and you could really position your car in a nice way where there was a thin piece of paper between us sometimes.”
