Amid the major 2026 Formula 1 engine overhaul, the new season heads into its second race weekend at the Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled for Sunday, March 15 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Free Practice and Sprint Qualifying have already taken place, but before the lights go out this weekend, it's worth revisiting what unfolded in Shanghai last year.
So far in 2026, Mercedes have continued their dominance they showed in Melbourne, where they secured a 1-2 finish in the season opener.
The same pattern appeared in Shanghai. George Russell and Kimi Antonelli topped the only Free Practice session, finishing first and second respectively. The pair then locked out the front row for the Sprint race.
McLaren pushed mid-session as Lando Norris grabbed third place in Sprint Qualifying, while Oscar Piastri completed the top five. Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton managed fourth, while Charles Leclerc finished just behind the McLaren driver.
For Hamilton, however, the Shanghai circuit meant more than anyone else.
Hamilton's Mixed Memories From 2025
The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix weekend actually started brilliantly for Hamilton.
Driving for Ferrari, he took pole for the Sprint race and went on to win it, securing his first Sprint or any victory with the Prancing Horses and collecting four points.
But Sunday turned into a nightmare. After the Grand Prix, three drivers were disqualified following post-race inspections, Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Pierre Gasly.
Leclerc (who finished 5th) and Gasly (11th) were thrown out because their cars were underweight, while Hamilton who got P6 was disqualified due to excessive plank wear underneath the car.
The decision completely reshuffled the results and became one of the most talked-about moments of the 2025 season.
Who Won the Chinese Grand Prix last year?
While Ferrari's race ended in controversy, the day belonged to Oscar Piastri. The McLaren driver took his first-ever Formula 1 pole position and then delivered a dominant performance in the race.
Piastri led teammate Lando Norris across the line by more than nine seconds, securing a comfortable McLaren 1-2 finish. George Russell of Mercedes finished third on the podium.
Norris did have some tense moments late in the race, though. He struggled with a long brake pedal, which forced him to carefully manage the car in the closing laps while keeping George Russell behind.
After the race, Piastri said the victory felt like a reward after a difficult opening weekend at his home race in Melbourne where he finished 9th. "I'm just so proud of the whole weekend. This is what I feel like I deserved after last week," the Australian said.
Chinese Grand Prix 2025 Result
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Laps | Time / Retired | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 56 | 1:30:55.026 | 25 |
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 56 | +9.748s | 18 |
| 3 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 56 | +11.097s | 15 |
| 4 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 56 | +16.656s | 12 |
| 5 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 56 | +49.969s | 10 |
| 6 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 56 | +53.748s | 8 |
| 7 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 56 | +56.321s | 6 |
| 8 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 56 | +61.303s | 4 |
| 9 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 56 | +70.204s | 2 |
| 10 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 56 | +76.387s | 1 |
| 11 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 56 | +78.875s | 0 |
| 12 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Red Bull Racing | 56 | +81.147s | 0 |
| 13 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 56 | +88.401s | 0 |
| 14 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 55 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 15 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 55 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| 16 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls | 55 | +1 Lap | 0 |
| NC | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 4 | DNF | 0 |
| DQ | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | - | DSQ | 0 |
| DQ | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | - | DSQ | 0 |
| DQ | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | - | DSQ | 0 |