Lewis Hamilton ends Ferrari’s four-year sprint drought with dominant win in China

Lewis Hamilton gave a statement victory in the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, giving Ferrari their first sprint race victory in four years. Just two races into his new chapter with the Scuderia, he dominated from beginning to end, fending off McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Red Bull's Max Verstappen. Following a dull Ferrari debut in Australia, Hamilton's victory muzzled the critics and highlighted his quick learning curve with the new team.


Ferrari had gone four years without winning a sprint race, their previous win in the format being in 2021. Hamilton's arrival in 2025 was a turning point, as he posted a perfect drive to give the Scuderia a badly needed win. From the pole position itself, he wasted no time in showing his superiority, taking the lead into Turn 1 straight away. Though there were initial fears of tyre wear, he handled the stint expertly, slowly building his advantage over the pack behind.
His teammate Charles Leclerc secured fifth spot, while Mercedes' George Russell took fourth. The triumph was also some respite for Hamilton, whose poor first drive at the Australian Grand Prix has left him with critics questioning his capabilities when he took the 10th position.
“From lap one here this weekend, (I was) really feeling on it,” Hamilton explained after the race, according to a Reuters report. “The engineers and mechanics have done a great job.”

With this sprint race victory finish, the competition only becomes more interesting. McLaren's Lando Norris, the Australian Grand Prix season-opener winner, leads the driver's standings with 26 points, while Verstappen is behind him closely at 24 points. Hamilton’s impact is already being felt, and with more time to fine-tune his Ferrari SF-25, his presence could tilt the championship fight in a new direction.
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Now all eyes will be on Hamilton and Ferrari to see if this breakthrough sprint win translates into more Grand Prix victories. If Shanghai was any indication, Ferrari’s long-awaited return to the top could be just around the corner. And this is only the start.