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Event

Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying

Started 221 days, 2 hours, 10 minutes ago

Date & Time
Fri 13th March 2026 3:30pm Local
Fri 13th March 2026 7:30am UTC

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League
Formula 1

Season
2026

Round
Round 2

Status
FT

Location

Shanghai International Circuit

Video Highlights

Play on YouTube

Event Statistics

Description

The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix introduces the first Sprint Qualifying session of the new regulatory era, a high-stakes 44-minute knockout format that determines the grid for Saturday’s Sprint race. The strategic narrative for the session at the Shanghai International Circuit centers on the rapid evolution of the track surface, which has been sparsely used in recent years. The primary hurdle for the drivers is the "one-shot" nature of the SQ3 segment; with the new active aerodynamics and power unit recovery systems, timing the deployment of electrical energy across the 1.2km back straight is a mechanical necessity for a pole-position lap.

The headline story focuses on the battle between Mercedes and McLaren, as the Brackley-based team looks to confirm the dominance seen in Practice 1. Strategically, teams must decide whether to save a fresh set of the mandatory Medium tires for the Sprint itself or use them to guarantee a spot in the top ten. For local fans, the focus remains on whether the midfield can exploit the unpredictable grip levels to disrupt the established order and secure a high-priority starting spot for the points-paying Sprint.

Reports

Result List

01	George Russell	Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team	1:31.520
02	Andrea Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team	1:31.809
03	Lando Norris	McLaren Formula 1 Team	1:32.141
04	Lewis Hamilton	Scuderia Ferrari HP	1:32.161
05	Oscar Piastri	McLaren Formula 1 Team	1:32.224
06	Charles Leclerc	Scuderia Ferrari HP	1:32.528
07	Pierre Gasly	BWT Alpine Formula One Team	1:32.888
08	Max Verstappen	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1:33.254
09	Oliver Bearman	MoneyGram Haas F1 Team	1:33.409
10	Isack Hadjar	Oracle Red Bull Racing	1:33.723
11	Nico Hulkenberg	Audi Revolut F1 Team	1:33.635
12	Esteban Ocon	MoneyGram Haas F1 Team	1:33.639
13	Liam Lawson	Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team	1:33.714
14	Gabriel Bortoleto	Audi Revolut F1 Team	1:33.774
15	Arvid Lindblad	Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team	1:34.048
16	Franco Colapinto	BWT Alpine Formula One Team	1:34.327
17	Carlos Sainz Jr	Williams Racing	1:34.761
18	Alexander Albon	Williams Racing	1:35.305
19	Fernando Alonso	Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team	1:35.581
20	Lance Stroll	Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team	1:36.151
21	Valtteri Bottas	Cadillac Formula 1 Team	1:37.378

Result Description

Sprint Qualifying concluded with a historic result as George Russell claimed Sprint Pole with a 1:31.520, leading a dominant Mercedes 1-2. The strategic narrative of the afternoon was the rise of the next generation, as Andrea Kimi Antonelli secured second place, becoming the youngest driver to start on a front row in F1 history at just 19 years old. The primary hurdle for the field was the widening gap to the Silver Arrows; Lando Norris finished in third but was over six-tenths of a second behind Russell's blistering pace.

Tactically, the session was a nightmare for Red Bull Racing, as Max Verstappen struggled significantly with the RB22's driveability, labeling the car "undriveable" before ending up in P8. Ferrari managed to split the McLarens, with Lewis Hamilton taking P4 ahead of Oscar Piastri in P5, while Charles Leclerc settled for P6. Further down the grid, Sergio Perez failed to set a representative time due to a fuel pump issue in his Cadillac-powered car, though he was later granted permission by the stewards to start the Sprint from the back of the grid.