The 2026 F1 Chinese GP marked the first Sprint Race weekend of the season with Mercedes F1’s George Russell claiming victory once again, view the results here.
After a dominant victory in Melbourne, the Silver Arrows continued on their strong form and start to the season at the 2026 F1 Chinese GP, topping both FP1 and Sprint Qualifying. Russell stormed to pole with a commanding margin of over six tenths from Lando Norris in 3rd, while Kimi Antonelli finished three tenths behind the Briton.
Ahead of the Sprint Race, it was announced that Alex Albon would start from the pit lane after the team had opted to make setup changes. Lap 1 brought instant chaos as Lewis Hamilton and Russell fought for the lead, while Antonelli’s poor launch saw him fall down the order. The Italian soon received a ten-second time penalty after an incident with Isack Hadjar, as the top four formed a four-way battle between Mercedes and Ferrari.
After Nico Hülkenberg and Valtteri Bottas stopped on track and triggered a safety car, the field dived into the pits. The race resumed on Lap 16, with drivers immediately fighting for positions. However, following his victory at the 2026 F1 Australian GP, it was Russell’s day once again.
2026 F1 Chinese GP | Sprint Race results
- G. Russell
- C. Leclerc
- L. Hamilton
- L. Norris
- K. Antonelli
- O. Piastri
- L. Lawson
- O. Bearman
- M. Verstappen
- E. Ocon
- P. Gasly
- C. Sainz
- G. Bortoleto
- F. Colapinto
- I. Hadjar
- A. Albon
- F. Alonso
- L. Stroll
- S. Perez
- N. Hülkenberg [DNF]
- V. Bottas [DNF]
- A. Lindblad [DNF]
