In China, is the hierarchy impossible to predict? “Everyone is a little lost”

We were promised the closest season in history and, so far, the 2025 vintage is living up to its promise. In two races (the Australian GP and the Chinese GP Sprint), five riders have climbed onto the podium (Norris, Verstappen, Russell, Hamilton, Piastres), while the three qualifying rounds saw as many different polemen take pole positions (Norris, Hamilton, Piastri).

While McLaren seemed to be unanimously the team to beat, the British were a little further behind than expected in the Sprint, mainly due to mistakes by Norris and Piastri in qualifying. If the Australian was able to play for the victory, he was overtaken by the Ferrari Hamilton, who took pole position and won. The seven-time world champion's return to grace was made possible by a sudden resurgence in performance from his car, which became at least equal to the McLaren during the 18 laps of the Sprint race.

ALSO READ > Lewis Hamilton untouchable in Shanghai: "I was in the game from the first lap"

Vasseur does not understand « "nothing much left in the race"

So how can we explain the fact that the wind fell in qualifying, just hours after Hamilton's victory? Ferrari boss Frédéric Vasseur is running out of arguments to justify his drivers' performance, finishing only 5th and 6th on the grid for the Chinese GP. “I have to admit that I don’t understand much about racing anymore!” laughs the former Sauber boss yellow at the microphone of Canal +. “It changes a lot from one session to the next, from one set of tires to the next, from one car to the next within the same team… Sometimes McLaren is 0 seconds ahead, sometimes we are 7 seconds ahead: there are a lot of changes. It depends a lot on the use of tires in the pit laps and even at the start of the flying laps. I think everyone is a little bit lost with that. That's the game and tomorrow it will be a completely different story with that. I think that with the significant degradation here with this new tarmac, there will be opportunities for overtaking and different strategies.”

Despite the natural disappointment after qualifying, Frédéric Vasseur is delighted with the pole position and Lewis Hamilton's victory in the Sprint, which is a perfect start to his adventure at Ferrari. "It's an important step for us in the season: the first pole position and the first victory. I think he showed an ability to manage the tires and the exceptional race this morning, it bodes well for the rest of the season. It comforts him a little and puts him in good shape for the races to come." If Lewis Hamilton shone in Shanghai, his teammate Charles Leclerc has been in more difficulty since the start of the weekend. He has returned close to the former driver Mercedes In qualifying, the Monegasque driver changed the settings of his car, which seem to better suit his driving style. It remains to be seen whether this will allow him to aim for the podium on Sunday morning.

🎙️ “I have to admit that I don’t understand much about running anymore!”

The start of the season = a headache for Fred Vasseur who looks back on a contrasting day 😅#ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/uZMrHr5QKu

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 22, 2025