Anthony Davidson thinks Lewis Hamilton has rediscovered his greatest asset during the Chinese GP

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The Chinese Grand Prix saw Lewis Hamilton finally return to a Formula 1 podium, and Anthony Davidson thinks the seven-time world champion’s qualifying performances are finally returning.

Lewis Hamilton currently holds the record for the most pole positions in Formula 1 history with 104, which is 36 more than Michael Schumacher and 47 more than his nearest active rival, Max Verstappen.

Hamilton is still waiting for his first Ferrari pole position, outside of Sprint Races, but the fast-starting SF-26 means that even starting on the second row gives him a chance of leading the opening lap.

That’s exactly what happened at the Chinese Grand Prix, and although he couldn’t add to his record-breaking tally of F1 victories, a first podium in 26 attempts for the Scuderia was incredibly welcome.

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Anthony Davidson suggests Lewis Hamilton is ‘absolutely at his best’ after the Chinese Grand Prix

Hamilton was delighted for Kimi Antonelli as he grabbed his first Formula 1 victory, but he’ll be equally delighted with his performance.

Anthony Davidson was commentating for Sky Sports F1, and watching Hamilton during the race, he said: “Hamilton, getting a little bit excited there. I can read the body language of the car.

“He loves hunting down a race leader. That’s where Hamilton is, absolutely at his best, but he’s got to be careful of squeezing those tyres a bit too hard, like he was in turn 11 and 12.”

In his enthralling battle with George Russell, Davidson explained: “What we saw from turn seven, all the way through, turns eight, nine and 10, that was nothing to do with the battery. That was all pure driving.

“You don’t use the battery in all those corners. So that was Hamilton just being so plucky and overly aggressive, as here comes Russell now.

“I think Hamilton has used all his battery this time, and Russell is massively on the attack.”

Russell received a standing ovation, according to David Croft, for finally overtaking Hamilton down the back straight, but that wasn’t the end of Davidson’s praise of the 41-year-old.

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Lewis Hamilton’s post-Chinese Grand Prix radio message suggests Ferrari still have more potential

After the race, Hamilton’s stand-in race engineer, Carlo Santi, said to the seven-time world champion on the team radio: “Well done, Lewis. Smart race, just as we wanted, thank you.”

Hamilton replied: “Thank you. Fantastic job, guys. Really well done. Really cool for the hard work. We’ve got to keep it up, keep pushing, back in Maranello. We’ve got work to do, but I believe in you. Let’s keep pushing. Forza Ferrari.”

This prompted Davidson to say: “So smart indeed. It was one of his finer races, I think, and you know what’s on Lewis Hamilton’s side this year, Crofty?

“He’s got his qualifying performance back.”

Hamilton outqualified Leclerc for both the Sprint Race and Sunday’s main event, becoming the Monegasque driver’s only teammate to do that twice in his career.

Carlos Sainz beat Leclerc twice at the 2024 Austrian GP, while Hamilton outqualified the 28-year-old this time last year in China.

Leclerc is widely considered one of Formula 1’s best qualifiers, and if Hamilton has now got an advantage over him over one lap, then he could quickly become Ferrari’s lead driver.