Lewis Hamilton Claims 'Special' First Ferrari Win In 2025 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint

Lewis Hamilton said it was "really special" to register his first victory for Ferrari after winning the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix on Saturday in dominant fashion. Hamilton had trailed home 10th in Melbourne on his Ferrari debut, but it was a different story six days later in Shanghai. The seven-time world champion powered to the win from pole position to add a sprint victory to his six grands prix triumphs at the circuit. The Englishman took the chequered flag 6.889 seconds ahead of McLaren's Oscar Piastri with Red Bull's Max Verstappen third.

Hamilton emerged from his car after the finish line to a crescendo of cheers from the massed Shanghai fans, who unfurled huge banners displaying his number 44.

"That is a really, really special weekend so far," the 40-year-old told reporters.

"China and Shanghai has always been really good to me since my first race here back in 2007. It's a track that I really do love driving on.

"It's hard to put into words what it feels like. Obviously it's a sprint race, it's not the main race, but it's a good stepping stone."

Hamilton used his vast experience to take advantage of the clean air at the front of the pack and nurse his tyres over 19 laps on the newly resurfaced 5.451km Shanghai International circuit.

"I think it is generally pretty close between all of us," said Hamilton, now in the red of Ferrari after his move from Mercedes.

"But the tyre degradation today was pretty huge I think for everybody.

"I was just trying to manage that early on and then the last, like, five laps or something, I was in a really comfortable position."

'Trying to survive'

Piastri agreed that tyres were the biggest issue.

"Probably one of the more difficult ones in terms of tyre degradation,"