McLaren missed out on making the front row but will have the pace to compete from behind. Lando Norris had been fastest by almost half a second during Friday’s opening free practice session. Today’s sprint is followed by qualifying for tomorrow’s Chinese Grand Prix. Today: Sprint race (11pm ET), GP qualifying (3:30am ET).

Oscar Piastri raised the stakes in his championship battle with Lando Norris by securing the first pole position of his career at the Chinese Grand Prix.Norris won last weekend’s opening round in Australia with Piastri only ninth after he slipped off the road in the rain when narrowly trailing his McLaren team-mate.