Chinese Grand Prix qualifying: Hamilton JUST pips Vettel to pole

Lewis Hamilton pipped Sebastian Vettel to pole position in the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix, with new boy Valtteri Bottas squeezed to third by the narrowest margins.

The opening race of the 2017 Formula One season in Australia two weeks ago saw Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel beat the Mercedes hands down for a terrific victory and the dawn of a new era, one devoid of Mercedes dominance. But it might not be quite that clear cut.

Judging by today’s qualifying at the 2017 Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes aren’t taking Ferrari’s resurgence lying down, and fought back in qualifying to take first place for Hamilton and third for Bottas, with the red Ferrari of Vettel sandwiched between the silver arrows.

That’s a replay of the qualifying result in Australia which saw Vettel dominate the race (including Raikkonen’s Ferrari in fourth) but Hamilton did look like he was taking the task at hand more seriously here, stung no doubt by Vettel’s win in Australia.

Behind the same top four as last time out, Daniel Ricciardo took fifth for Red Bull, Massa in the Williams in sixth, Hulkenburg’s Renault in seventh, Perez in the Fore India in eighth, Kvyat putting Toro Rosso in ninth and the second williams of Stroll in 10th.

Fernando Alonso did manage to put the woeful Honda McLaren in 13th (the same as Australia) and McLaren new boy Vandoorne managed 17th (one better).

We should be able to look forward to a proper fight at the front tomorrow between the Mercedes and Ferraris, and the threat of rain could make the race very lively; no one has driven the new cars in a race in the wet yet, and the wet Pirellis are new for 2017 too.