F1 News: Lewis Hamilton on Chinese Sprint P2 - 'Forgot What It Felt Like to Be Ahead'

Hamilton beams in his post-sprint race interview after his P2 finish.

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Mercedes AMG Petronas driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Lewis Hamilton clinched second place in the exciting Chinese Sprint Race. The Mercedes driver expressed nostalgia and relief after leading the race momentarily before succumbing to Max Verstappen’s pace.

The Chinese Grand Prix sprint race was packed with drama from the outset as Lewis Hamilton started from second on the grid, immediately seizing the lead from Lando Norris. This placed Hamilton at the forefront reviving the feeling of leading a pack that he confessed had become a distant memory.

"I forgot what it felt like to be up ahead, and it felt good for the short while that I had it but I was grateful for the moment. Really fortunate with the rain yesterday. We capitalised on that. Our out-and-out true pace was not strong enough to qualify up as high as that, but I made the most of it with a great start," Hamilton told Sky Sports F1's Craig Slater.

"Just managed to hold off Fernando for a while and bridged a bit of a gap, but lots of deg today. I've found out a lot about the car today, not that it's telling us how to fix it, but at least it gives us lots of direction and things we need to improve. We can make a few changes in the next couple of hours, so I will try and improve the car for qualifying today, but so happy to be here and really grateful."

The initial lead, however, was short-lived as Hamilton, grappling with steering complications that notably affected his precision in slow corners, eventually yielded his position to Max Verstappen.

By lap 9, Verstappen seized an opportunity and overtook the British driver, displaying the formidable pace Red Bull Racing is renowned for in this era. Verstappen then cemented his lead, finishing the sprint comfortably ahead, leaving Hamilton to secure a hard-fought second place.