Chinese language GP: Lance Stroll quickest in solely follow session after small grass fireplace disrupts operating | F1 Information

Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll set the surprising tempo in the one follow earlier than Friday morning’s Dash Qualifying on the Chinese language GP in an intriguing session which had earlier been interrupted by a weird grass fireplace.

With F1 vehicles operating across the Shanghai Worldwide Circuit for the primary time in 5 years at first of the season’s first Dash weekend, groups appeared to take differing approaches approaches to the hour of operating with various methods for tyres and, seemingly, gas masses evident by way of the gas.

World champion Max Verstappen had led a lot of the session, on medium after which comfortable tyres, however was finally overhauled by first McLaren’s Oscar Piastri after which Aston Martin’s Stroll within the closing minutes of the hour.

Stroll’s quickest time of 1:36.302 was 0.327s faster than Piastri’s, with Crimson Bull’s Verstappen an additional 0.021s adrift.

F1 is again in China for the primary time for the reason that Covid-19 pandemic and the looks of the Shanghai observe floor had stunned drivers and groups throughout their circuit walks on Thursday with what some had initially thought was darker painted sections however was truly a bitumen therapy, which is designed to forestall disintegration and get rid of mud.

Nonetheless, it was quickly the grass on the within of the observe that inflicting extra concern.

It was 1 / 4 of an hour in to follow when a small fireplace instantly broke out on a patch of grass on the within of Flip Seven. Race Management threw the purple flag, with vehicles returning to the pit lane, with marshals capable of put the firee out, with a scorched part of grass remaining.

Whereas extremely uncommon, it seems a spark from the underside of a automotive whereas hitting the bottom by way of the high-speed part might have been the perpetrator.

Mercedes, in the meantime, have been the one workforce to completely run the toughest, and slowest, tyre compound by way of the session, which means George Russell and Lewis Hamilton completed down in unrepresentative seventeenth and 18th positions in consequence.

Hamilton was given a black-and-white warning flag through the session after not adhering to the race director’s directions by crossing the white line on the entry to the pit lane. Nonetheless, the Briton’s choice to take to the pit lane seemed to be inadvertent after he mentioned he was pushed vast on the last nook by the McLaren of Piastri.

Sky Sports activities F1’s dwell Chinese language GP schedule

Friday April 19
8am: Chinese language GP Dash Qualifying (session begins at 8.30am)*

Saturday April 20
3.30am: Chinese language GP Dash (race begins at 4am)*
7am: Chinese language GP Qualifying build-up*
8am: Chinese language GP Qualifying*
10am: Ted’s Qualifying Pocket book*

Sunday April 21
7am: Grand Prix Sunday: Chinese language GP build-up*
8am: The CHINESE GRAND PRIX*
10am: Chequered Flag: Chinese language GP response*
11am: Ted’s Pocket book*

*additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities Fundamental Occasion

You possibly can watch each session of the Chinese language Grand Prix dwell on Sky Sports activities F1 and steam each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime

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