The rolling cheers were the first clue. Reverberating as if sprint qualifying for Formula 1’s Chinese Grand Prix was taking place within a leisure centre swimming pool – such is the way the Shanghai track’s giant main grandstand traps noise - was the noise that greeted Lewis Hamilton’s first Ferrari pole.
At this stage, there was still Max Verstappen left to run as Autosport continued peeking through the trackside catch fencing as the sun began to set behind the long Turn 3 – the end of one of two ‘snail-shaped’ complexes at this track, as nicknamed by the event organisers.
