Q3, all drivers switched to soft tires to set lap times on the track.

Only Qin Miao had the privilege of using two sets of new soft tires for his two flying laps in Q3.

Thanks to his baseline laps in Q1 and Q2, Qin Miao had a deeper understanding of the track and the limits of his car.

In the first sector, his speed was average, 0.1 seconds slower compared to Hamilton. In the second sector, he was again 0.1 seconds slower. However, in the third sector, he set a purple time, albeit only 0.05 seconds faster.

After Qin Miao completed his lap, he found himself behind Verstappen, temporarily in third position.

Despite being in third, Qin Miao was not slow at all. His time of 1:16.987 was 0.5 seconds faster than his Q1 and Q2 times.

This proves that it wasn't Qin Miao who was slow, but rather Hamilton and Verstappen were faster.

Seeing that he improved by a whole 0.5 seconds from Q1 yet was still in third position.

Qin Miao cursed in his helmet, "A bunch of sly bastards, hiding their pace so well they could improve by 0.8 seconds from Q2 to Q3. Ridiculous!"

What Qin Miao didn't realize was that other drivers were actually cursing him too.

In Q1 and Q2, Qin Miao's performance was unassuming, but come Q3, he improved by 0.5 seconds over his previous best.

Other than the top three, after the first lap in Q3, O'Kang was 0.8 seconds slower than Qin Miao, positioned fourth.

This demonstrates that the Mercedes and Red Bull cars were outrageously fast.

With 2 minutes remaining on the clock in Q3, the top three drivers left their pit boxes for the final flying lap.

With 19 seconds remaining, Qin Miao raced past the start-finish line, beginning his final flying lap.

On the main straight, he opened the DRS. After braking at the end of the straight, he adjusted the car. Due to the headwind today on the main straight, even with DRS open, Qin Miao's straight-line top speed wasn't particularly fast.

He braked heavily at the 70-meter mark, downshifted to fourth gear, and entered the turn with speed.

The curb at Turn 1 can't be mounted because it's too high, and the car would bounce if you go over it.

After exiting Turn 1, he needed to go full throttle through Turn 2, but he couldn't give throttle too early. Finding the right spot and timing for throttle application can only be achieved through long practice by the driver.

While exiting Turn 2, the right tire could enter the green-painted zone outside the track, which had enough grip, but the car needed to return to the track before the paint ended.

Turn 3 was full throttle, but that didn't mean flooring the throttle indiscriminately. The steering must be handled very gently because any significant steering adjustments would affect speed in the corner and increase tire wear, negatively impacting lap time in subsequent sectors.

After this turn comes the famous double retirement scene for Rosberg and Hamilton, and the end of the first sector.

The first sector was green, faster than Qin Miao's first lap in Q3, but not by much, only 0.07 seconds.

No change in the braking point approaching Turn 4, brake around the 80-meter mark and carry speed into the corner, also cannot cut the apex.

After exiting the turn, approaching Turn 5.

This spot is particularly challenging because the corner is quite steep, and it's also a slight downhill, so adjust the brake balance to the rear and use engine braking at the corner apex.

After releasing the brakes, coast a bit with engine braking. Due to the crosswind, wait until the car's nose is straight before accelerating out of the corner.

On corner exit, the painted area can be used.

Turn 6 is not a real corner and can be ignored, but Turn 7 requires an early move to the right to start braking.

This corner allows the brake balance to be adjusted forward. However, braking must be done in a straight line. Don't put too much tire grip into steering—use it all for braking. This allows for quicker reduction in car speed.

Turns 7 and 8 form a complex. Immediately upon exiting, there's a sharp right turn, making sudden steering changes which can cause oversteering.

Thus, engine braking is needed for this corner.

And because Turn 8 is an uphill curve, followed by a straight, the exit speed impacts the second sector time significantly.

To achieve a good time, you must push to the limit.

On exit, use the full width of the track on the right side, but as there are sausage kerbs at the apex of Turn 8, to be fast, you have to brush past the sausage kerbs without riding over them.

Fortunately, Qin Miao handled the exit of Turn 8 quite well.

Turn 9 is straightforward in Qin Miao's view—given his car's downforce and light fuel load, even with its steep angle, the W12 gives him enough confidence to go full throttle through.

Turn 9 being uphill means you can't see the line on exit, so you have to rely on the driver's boldness (crossed out) experience.

This time, Qin Miao's exit was perfect, with his left front tire precisely riding over the red area of the kerb.

This area offers the most grip on the exit of the turn.

Then comes the DRS zone on the long straight.

Braking for Turn 10 demands the most pressure on the whole track.

Firstly, the wind today blows right through Turn 10, reducing the car's grip. Plus, thanks to DRS and the gain from Turn 9, the entry speed into the corner is very high.

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