Championship pacesetter <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/george-russell-said-mercedes-still-need-to-raise-our-game-despite-victory-23619933" rel="nofollow">George Russell</a> took pole position on Friday for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Kimi Antonelli.&nbsp;
Russell clocked 1min 31.520sec around the 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit, 0.289sec quicker than Antonelli with world champion Lando Norris 0.621sec behind his fellow Englishman in third.&nbsp;
Joining Norris on the second row for Saturday morning&rsquo;s 19-lap race will be <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/lewis-hamilton-wants-to-rediscover-the-joy-in-f1-after-a-gloomy-start-at-ferrari-23591563" rel="nofollow">Lewis Hamilton</a>, winner of the China sprint a year ago. The seven-time Formula One world champion was fourth in his Ferrari, 0.641sec slower than Russell.&nbsp;
<h2>&lsquo;Car is amazing&rsquo;</h2>
&ldquo;The car&rsquo;s been feeling amazing,&rdquo; said Russell, who leads the championship after winning the season-opening race in <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/australian-grand-prix-the-car-came-alive-today-george-russell-on-clinching-pole-23619810" rel="nofollow">Australia</a> last weekend. &ldquo;We knew after Melbourne we had a really good car. The engine&rsquo;s performing really well. And today it was a real joy to drive, so I&rsquo;m happy,&rdquo; added Russell.
<h2>Verstappen fumes</h2>
A fuming Max Verstappen said Friday was &ldquo;a disaster&rdquo; after torrid practice and sprint qualifying sessions. Verstappen&rsquo;s Red Bull was almost two seconds behind championship leader George Russell&rsquo;s Mercedes as he finished in eighth place in both sessions in Shanghai.
&ldquo;The whole day has been a disaster pace-wise: no grip &mdash; I honestly think that is the biggest problem &mdash; no grip, no balance,&rdquo; said an angry Verstappen, whose best lap was a colossal 1.734 sec adrift of Russell.&nbsp;&ldquo;[We are] just losing massive amounts of time in the corners and then of course because of that you start to trigger other little problems,&rdquo; he added.
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Chinese Grand Prix: The seven-time Formula One world champion was fourth in his Ferrari, 0.641sec slower than George Russell

George Russell leads Mercedes one-two in sprint qualifying at Chinese Grand Prix

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The seven-time Formula One world champion was fourth in his Ferrari, 0.641sec slower than Russell.

George Russell leads Mercedes one-two in sprint qualifying at Chinese Grand Prix

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Home / Sports / Other Sports / Article / George Russell leads Mercedes one-two in sprint qualifying at Chinese Grand Prix

George Russell leads Mercedes one-two in sprint qualifying at Chinese Grand Prix

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