‘A LOT OF FUN’ FOR VERSTAPPEN

Champ has perfect day, taking pole after winning the sprint race in Chinese GP

As if he was not dominant enough, the day could not have gone better for three-time Formula One world champion Max Verstappen on April 20.

The Dutchman took pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix, 0.322 of a second ahead of Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso third.

Verstappen clocked a fastest lap of Imin 33.660sec to cap a perfect day after earlier cruising to a sprint race victory at the Shanghai International Circuit.

"I think after the sprint race it gave us a few more ideas for the car and I think the car worked even better in qualifying now," said the 26-year-old, who recorded Red Bull's 100th pole position and his first in China.

"That final lap felt pretty decent and very happy to drive in the dry.

The conditions were pretty good, it was a lot of fun." Lando Norris will start on the second row in his McLaren alongside Alonso for the race on April 21, the first grand prix in China since 2019 because of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.