How Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari took immediate revenge in China

No doubt Lewis Hamilton's pole position and victory in the sprint race will taste sweet at Ferrari after what unfolded in Australia.

At Melbourne's Albert Park, only the performance during the second free practice session was representative. Otherwise, it was a difficult weekend that seemingly posed more questions than provided answers.

Just a few days later, the transformation at the Shanghai International Circuit has been remarkable. Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for the sprint by just 0.018s from Red Bull's Max Verstappen. It was Hamilton's first sprint pole since Silverstone 2021.

The seven-time F1 champion then delivered a superb getaway off the line at the start of the 19-lap race, kept Verstappen at bay early on, managed his tyres, and finished seven seconds clear of McLaren's Oscar Piastri to claim Ferrari's first sprint victory.

But why? One of the reasons lies in the resurfaced track, with the work undertaken last August. The new asphalt layer has provided considerably more grip, evidenced by the fact the first four drivers in the sprint shootout beat the old lap record of Sebastian Vettel set in 2018.

This year's Ferrari has shown an improvement in mechanical grip, albeit a modification that counterbalances the aerodynamic load in the McLaren.

For Ferrari in China, though, it has shown it has an advantage with its tyres finding a good working window more easily because of the increase in grip. Moreover, the team has fine-tuned the car to dynamic levels, a factor prepared in the simulator based on analysis of the data from Australia. 

On a traditional circuit such as China, where slow and fast corners alternate, the central aspect of the SF-25 - the front suspension based on the pull-rod design - has come into its own.

Hamilton and team-mate Charles Leclerc are still adjusting to its nuances, and it is still being fine-tuned, but it is proving a crucial tool for the car's optimal balance, providing consistent behaviour of the front and rear axles. 

In Shanghai, it appears Ferrari has managed to get the understeer under control, although it is noticeable that oversteer continues to occur on corner exits. That could affect rear tyre wear in the race, although that is not the most important aspect at a circuit where the front rubber is known - and as has been the case so far - to wear more than the rear.

Although Hamilton's victory does not immediately mean all of the car's problems have been completely solved, the fact it is working well in the second and third sectors suggests that Ferrari, like McLaren, can keep its tyres alive over a lap.

As in Australia, McLaren again demonstrated this during the sprint race with Oscar Piastri, who overtook Max Verstappen - who late on complained his front tyres were "dead" - to claim second place.

The sprint race ultimately confirmed the positive signs that emerged from inside Ferrari following the pre-season test in Bahrain. On this basis, it should face no negative surprises ahead of Sunday's race.