Chinese Grand Prix’s sole practice session disrupted by a shock FIRE… with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll beating Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton ahead of this weekend
- There was only one practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend
- Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was the surprise name at the top of the leaderboard
- The practice session in China was disrupted by a fire on the side of the track
A bizarre trackside fire forced an unexpected halt to the first practice session ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Just 15 minutes into the session, flames began rising from a small patch of grass at turn seven, causing a red flag to be displayed.
Although a nearby marshal rushed to the scene to extinguish the fire before it had a chance to take hold, there was still visible damage on the grass when action resumed a short time later.
The delay was far from ideal preparation for teams and drivers in what was their only free practice for this weekend’s race in Shanghai, where the sprint race returns for the first time in 2024.
This is also the first time Formula 1 has visited this circuit since 2019, due to the country’s strict Covid-19 restrictions, meaning the drivers were keen to complete as many laps as possible to re-familiarize themselves with the Shanghai International Circuit.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll was the surprise name at the top of the leaderboard in the only practice session for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix
Stroll finished 0.327 seconds ahead of McLaren driver Oscar Piastri at the Shanghai International Circuit, with championship leader Max Verstappen third
It is not yet known what caused the fire, but it was somewhat of a surprise given the amount of rain that fell relentlessly on the track on Wednesday.
Another surprise awaited during the session, with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finishing at the top of the timesheets.
Championship leader Max Verstappen was third fastest ahead of the qualifying session for today’s sprint race, which starts at 8:30am BST.