Racing Bulls Domination Could Bore Fans- 2025 Chinese Grand Prix Qualifying Review

Qualifying Chaos in China: Surprises, Struggles, and Standout Performances

Oscar Piastri, Welcome to the Pole Club

It’s been coming for a while, but Oscar Piastri finally got his first pole position. Before this weekend, he held the record for the most front-row starts (seven) without ever converting one into pole. Not anymore. The lap wasn’t perfect—he fumbled slightly at the end—but it was still enough to beat his teammate and lock in P1.

Lando Norris? He was on for a fight, but he backed out of his final lap. And if there’s one theme for Norris this weekend, it’s that—backing out. Whether it’s sprint quali, the sprint race, or now the main qualifying, Norris just hasn’t delivered when it mattered. With the fastest car on the grid, he needs to be converting these chances.

George Russell’s Lap of the Year Contender

If you haven’t watched George Russell’s final Q3 lap yet, stop reading and go watch it. Seriously. It was that good. Mercedes looked nowhere near a front-row threat all weekend, and Russell himself almost got knocked out in Q1. And then, out of absolutely nowhere, he stuck it in P2. One of the best laps he’s ever done, full stop.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen maximized everything he could out of the Red Bull, but even he knew pole was out of reach. Red Bull simply isn’t fast enough over one lap. Over a race? Maybe. But qualifying? It’s not happening.

The 30 Seconds That Had F1 Fans Cheering

For a brief but glorious 30 seconds in Q2, Isaac Hadjar and Yuki Tsunoda sat P1 and P2, and every F1 fan collectively lost their minds. It was one of those rare moments where the underdogs stole the spotlight.

While the dream was short-lived, it symbolized something bigger—Racing Bulls are no longer just “fighting for scraps.” Both cars made it into Q3, a massive achievement for the team and a testament to their 2025 progress. Tsunoda continues to prove his worth, auditioning for all the teams for a potential 2026 swap, while Hadjar’s steady improvement suggests he’s one to watch.

Ferrari? A sine wave of inconsistency

Ferrari’s weekend has been the definition of inconsistent. After Hamilton’s sprint domination, they made some setup changes to help with race pace and tyre degradation. The result? A massive drop-off in quali performance. The Scuderia is like a sine curve—up and down, up and down. One session, they’re flying; the next, they’re nowhere. Charles Leclerc was nowhere. They’ve got race pace, but over one lap, they’re still lacking.

Carlos Sainz vs. Alex Albon: Different Cars, Different Expectations

Sainz is one of the most intelligent and strategic drivers on the grid, but he’s struggling. The guy is talented, no doubt. Smart, tactical, and a proven race-winner. But Formula 1 waits for no one. His slow adaptation to the car is starting to hurt, and in a sport where your last race defines you, he needs to step up—fast. Meanwhile, Alex Albon is overachieving in a Williams that has genuine top-10 pace.

Red Bull’s Second Seat Syndrome Strikes Again

Liam Lawson was dead last in qualifying. And while that’s disappointing, can we really blame him? Since Daniel Ricciardo left in 2018, every driver who’s taken that second Red Bull seat has struggled. It’s like an unsolvable puzzle—Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, and now Liam Lawson. They all look promising before they get there, then suddenly their pace disappears.

Christian Horner didn’t bring Lawson in expecting him to beat Verstappen, but he did expect him to at least keep up. Right now, that’s not happening. And if Red Bull doesn’t figure it out soon, their Constructors’ Championship hopes could be in trouble.

Final Thoughts

Shanghai gave us a weekend full of surprises. McLaren’s raw speed, Hamilton’s Ferrari masterclass, and Russell’s unreal quali lap all stole the headlines. But underneath it all, the same patterns are emerging—Norris struggling under pressure, Red Bull’s second seat still in crisis, and Ferrari continuing their on-again, off-again relationship with performance.

With just two races down, the season is already shaping up to be one of the best in years. And if Shanghai was just the warm-up, we cannot wait to see what happens next.