Shanghai, China (AFP) — Championship pacesetter George Russell took pole position on Friday for the Chinese Grand Prix sprint race, leading a Mercedes one-two ahead of Kimi Antonelli.

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.

Joining Norris on the second row for Saturday morning’s 19-lap race will be Lewis Hamilton, winner of the China sprint a year ago.

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

“The car’s been feeling amazing,” said Russell, who leads the championship after winning the season-opening race in Australia last weekend.

“We knew after Melbourne we had a really good car. The engine’s performing really well. And today it was a real joy to drive, so I’m happy,” added Russell.

Italian teenager Antonelli said he had room for improvement.

“The pace is very strong. Just didn’t put the lap together at the end on the softs. Still some work to do. It’s all to play for tomorrow,” said the 19-year-old.

The McLarens left it till late in the final qualifying session to go out for their single flying lap, hoping to take advantage of the track at its quickest.

It paid off as Norris got ahead of the two Ferraris, and Oscar Piastri split them, coming in fifth fastest.

“Actually, pretty happy to beat both of the Ferraris today because they seem pretty good the whole day,” Norris said.

“Satisfied, good position for tomorrow. Certainly, things have been better this weekend.”

‘Car felt great’

Hamilton, fourth last week in Australia, said he had enjoyed a good Friday again in Shanghai, where he took a surprise sprint pole this time last year for Ferrari.

“Really pleased with the session, my team did a really great job,” Hamilton said.

“The car generally felt great, it’s just we’re losing on the straights (to Mercedes), so yeah, we have a lot of work to do.”

His teammate Charles Leclerc, third in Melbourne last week, was sixth fastest.

Pierre Gasly was seventh for Alpine.

The Red Bulls struggled for pace again with their new in-house power units replacing Honda as engine supplier from this season and still getting to grips with the new era regulations.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was eighth, a colossal 1.734 sec adrift of Russell, and Isack Hadjar was only 10th behind the Haas of Oliver Bearman.

Sergio Perez did not take part in the session because of a fuel issue with his Cadillac, the new team on the grid.