Lando Norris showcased impressive pace during the sole practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix, securing the top spot with a commanding lead over Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Norris set a blistering time of 1m31.504s on the newly resurfaced Shanghai International Circuit, which proved 2.156s faster than last year's pole position. The fresh tarmac provided significantly improved grip, with track conditions evolving rapidly throughout the session.

Leclerc claimed second place, 0.454s behind Norris, while Oscar Piastri settled for third despite showing potential for a McLaren one-two finish before a costly error at the final corner.

Lewis Hamilton secured fourth position in his Ferrari, followed by George Russell in fifth. Notably, Red Bull Racing struggled with Max Verstappen in 16th and Liam Lawson in 18th.

Key session highlights:

• Track temperature reached 102°F, causing left-front tire blistering concerns
• Jack Doohan's Alpine stopped between Turns 10-11, briefly interrupting the session
• Nico Hulkenberg impressed with sixth place for Sauber
• Several drivers faced challenges in the long Turns 1-2 and 12-13 combinations

Top 10 Results:

1. Lando Norris (McLaren)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.454s
3. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.632s
4. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.691s
5. George Russell (Mercedes)
6. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
7. Alex Albon (Williams)
8. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
9. Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
10. Yuki Tsunoda (RB)

Final session standings saw Gabriel Bortoleto in 19th for Sauber, while Doohan finished last after his car's technical issues prevented a soft-tire run before Sprint qualifying.

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