Chinese grand prix despite

Chinese Grand Prix Despite: Oscar Piastri was “pumped” to claim his first Formula 1 pole position in Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix after admitting to some struggles earlier in the session. After Piastri displayed good pace in Saturday’s Sprint earlier in the day, the Australian continued to look in strong form during Qualifying, grabbing a provisional pole in Q3 before sealing it for real by the chequered flag.

However, when it was put to Piastri after stepping out of the car that he had seemed hooked up throughout the day, the 23-year-old joked, “I’m glad it looked like that because it didn’t feel like that!

“Q3, [I] just found a lot of pace – Q1 and Q2 I was genuinely struggling. The car just came alive in Q3 and I think I came alive in Q3. [I’m] happy with what I did at the end, it was still… the laps were a little bit scruffy. I’m just pumped to be on pole, so [I’m] very happy," said Piastri, the McLaren driver.