ANALYSIS: Lewis Hamilton’s ‘Hammer Time’ masterclass: in China's Sprint Race

Lewis Hamilton’s maiden Sprint win for Ferrari at the Chinese Grand Prix sent a powerful message to both fans and rivals: the seven-time world champion has lost none of his edge. In just his second race with the Scuderia, Hamilton combined savvy tyre management with a blistering turn of pace, culminating in a “Hammer Time” surge from Lap 15 that left the competition trailing. The moment he crossed the line to the cries of “bravo” and the sight of countless “44” banners, it was clear that Hamilton had not only scored a victory but also reignited the Ferrari faithful’s championship hopes.

The Build-Up to Hamilton’s Sprint Victory

The day began with Hamilton back on pole—an unfamiliar sight in recent seasons but one that set the stage for a dramatic Sprint. From the formation lap to the green lights, the tension was palpable as Hamilton lined up alongside old rival Max Verstappen. While Hamilton’s pole was an achievement in itself, questions remained about Ferrari’s overall race pace and how the team would handle tyre wear. In the pre-race grid walk, used medium tyres were revealed for the entire field, with Hamilton’s set having already completed six laps—an apparent disadvantage that would ultimately become a non-factor under his expert management.

Key Moments in the Race

Lights Out: Hamilton got away cleanly, covering off Verstappen and keeping Oscar Piastri’s McLaren at bay.
Midfield Battles: George Russell fended off Charles Leclerc for fourth, while further back, Yuki Tsunoda held onto sixth and Lando Norris fought to recover from an early mistake that dropped him to ninth.
Worn Tyres: By the time Hamilton parked up at the end, his tyres were clearly “very, very worn,” but it was his careful pace management that allowed him to keep a comfortable margin.
Final Lap: With a six-second gap to second-placed Piastri, Hamilton could nurse his tyres to the chequered flag, sealing his first Ferrari victory and setting the crowd alight.

Hamilton’s Consistent Race Pace

From the opening laps, Hamilton demonstrated a measured approach. While rivals like Verstappen and Piastri showed flashes of speed, they struggled with tyre degradation. The Sprint Race transcription reveals how Verstappen radioed that his “front tyres are dead,” while Piastri had to back off to protect his own. Hamilton, on the other hand, never dropped out of the 1:36–1:37 range until the final push. His ability to consistently deliver laps within a narrow time window effectively controlled the race pace and forced his challengers to react.

‘Hammer Time’ from Lap 15

The term “Hammer Time” has become synonymous with Hamilton’s knack for finding an extra gear when it matters most. In Shanghai, that decisive phase arrived around Lap 15, when he opened up the gap from just under two seconds to nearly four seconds in a matter of laps. This sudden pace injection caught Piastri and Verstappen off-guard, especially since both were grappling with fading tyre performance. As Piastri moved past Verstappen for second place, Hamilton capitalised on the clear air ahead and managed to preserve his tyre life for a final sprint to the finish.

The Session Delta Time graph (below) shows how each driver’s cumulative gap to Hamilton began to climb more steeply at this exact juncture. Hamilton’s reference line sits at zero, and from Lap 15 onward, all other lines—representing Piastri, Verstappen, Russell, Leclerc, Tsunoda, Antonelli, and Norris—curve upward. This visual spike indicates they were losing time to Hamilton at an accelerated rate.

Reaction from the Pitlane

The radio chatter captured in the timeline—ranging from McLaren’s concerns about Norris’s tyres to Leclerc’s last-ditch DRS attempts—underscored the frantic atmosphere behind Hamilton. Russell narrowly kept Leclerc behind, while further down the order, Tsunoda, Antonelli, and Norris were locked in their own battles for points. Hamilton’s Ferrari garage erupted into celebration the moment he crossed the line, with cheers of “bravo” echoing across the paddock, confirming that this new partnership between Hamilton and Ferrari is off to a dream start.

Looking Ahead: Qualifying and the Grand Prix

While the Sprint victory provides valuable momentum, the weekend is far from over. Qualifying is scheduled for 3pm local time this afternoon, offering drivers a chance to reshuffle the deck for tomorrow’s Grand Prix. With the main race also set for 3pm local time on Sunday, the teams will have to apply the lessons learned in the Sprint—particularly in tyre management—if they hope to challenge Hamilton’s newfound dominance. Given the unpredictable nature of Shanghai’s resurfaced track, there’s every reason to believe that the drama is only just beginning.