Hamilton takes first Ferrari win in China sprint
(BBC) Lewis Hamilton took his first win for Ferrari on only his second outing for the team with a dominant victory in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix.
The seven-time champion fended off a challenge from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen on the run to the first corner and controlled the race from there.
Verstappen fell back from the Ferrari after a few laps into the clutches of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, who passed the world champion with five laps to go.
McLaren’s Lando Norris managed to salvage a point after a difficult race by passing Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin with two laps to go.
Hamilton’s victory was a resounding recovery after a disappointing Ferrari debut at the opening race of the season in Australia last weekend, in which he qualified eighth and finished 10th.
He was praised on the slowing-down lap after his victory by his engineer Riccardo Adami for a “masterclass in tyre management” on a day when every other driver struggled to make their rubber last.
Hamilton savoured the cheers from the packed grandstands after climbing out of his car on the pit straight at the end.
“I woke up feeling great today,” he said. “The first race was difficult and I really do feel a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to get into a new team, with communication and understanding and a whole lot of things.
