Norris claims pole in chaotic Chinese GP sprint qualifying

McLaren's Lando Norris claimed pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race ahead of Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton on Friday as rain played havoc with qualifying in Shanghai.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso clinched third with championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull in fourth place.

Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez came in sixth place. He finished in between the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc, who were involved in a spin on the wet track.

At one stage of the qualifying, Norris's quickest lap of 1min 57.940sec was discarded for breaching track limits but the stewards went back on their decision few moments later after the driver complained he “didn’t go off anywhere”.

The massive crowd at Shanghai International Circuit cheered when hometown hero Zhou Guanyu qualified 10th.

Oscar Piastri was eighth in his McLaren and Valtteri Bottas ninth to complete the top 10.

"It was tricky, you are always nervous going into a session like this. You just have to risk a lot, push and build tyre temperature and what not," said Englishman Norris.

"I'm happy, sad it's not for a proper qualifying, but good enough.

"You only get three laps. The first two I aborted on both, so it was all or nothing, a good position for tomorrow."

The qualifying for Sunday's 56-lap grand prix, the first in China since 2019, will take place after the sprint tomorrow.

Standings after qualification for sprint race

1) Norris (1:57.940)

2) Hamilton

3) Alonso

4) Verstappen

5) Sainz

6) Perez

7) Leclerc

8) Piastri

9) Bottas

10) Zhou

11) Russell

12) Magnussen

13) Hulkenberg

14) Ricciardo

15) Stroll

16) Gasly

17) Ocon

18) Albon

19) Tsunoda

20) Sargeant

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