Lewis Hamilton takes aim at 'yapping critics' after first Ferrari win in Chinese GP Sprint race: 'They're unaware...'

Lewis Hamilton recorded his first win since making the sensational switch to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula One season, with a victory in the sprint race at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai. Hamilton held on to his pole position from sprint qualifying, picking up eight WDC points along the way.

After a subpar opening race of the season in Australia, where he finished just inside the points in tenth, Hamilton shot back at his critics in the wake of his sprint win.

"Today I woke up feeling great ... I feel a lot of people underestimated the steep climb it is to get into a new team," Hamilton said in the post-race interview. "To become acclimatised within the team, understanding, communication, all sorts of things.”

"The amount of critics and people I've heard yapping along the way, maybe not understanding because they never had the experience, or they're unaware,” said the British seven-time world champion, taking a swing at those who had questioned his move.

Hamilton's ominous message for rivals: ‘I’ve felt on it…'

Many critics had wondered why 40-year-old Hamilton made the switch to La Scuderia, a team which intended to compete for the Constructors’ Championship in 2025 and was taking a risk by drafting in an ageing racer. However, Hamilton showed in the 19-lap, 100-km sprint in Shanghai that he still has plenty of pace and know-how when it comes to holding on to a lead.

"But it felt great to come here and feel comfortable in the car. In Melbourne I didn't feel comfortable,” explained Hamilton regarding the switch in fortunes following a strategic blunder in the opening race.

“From lap one here this weekend, I've felt on it. The engineers, mechanics have done a great job fine-tuning the car." This was the iconic Ferrari team's first sprint race win since the alternative format was introduced in 2021.

Hamilton led all 19 laps of the sprint race, extending his gap from second position to well over three seconds by the chequered flag. Behind him, defending champion Max Verstappen slipped a place to finish the sprint third in the Red Bull, with McLaren driver Oscar Piastri overtaking the Dutchman with a smooth move.

Australian Piastri then went on to finish first in qualifying for Sunday's race proper, earning his first pole position in his career. Hamilton will start the full race in fifth place, just ahead of his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc.