APEX BRIEFMercedes confirm: Russell faces a grid penalty in Singapore
2026 · ROUND 02 · SPRINT WEEKEND

Grand Prix China

🇨🇳 ChinaShanghai International CircuitCOMPLETED

Shanghai combines long, demanding corners with one of the calendar’s longest straights. The first sector and the braking zone at the end of the straight create very different setup challenges.

The start line and pit lane at Shanghai International Circuit, archive photograph
CyberCop · CC BY 3.0 · The start line and pit lane at Shanghai International Circuit, archive photograph. Crop and WebP conversion; original licence retained. · Photo source ↗ · Licence ↗
CIRCUIT SNAPSHOT

Shanghai International Circuit

Shanghai · China

Race date · local15 March 2026
FormatSprint + Grand Prix
Circuit length5.451 km
Scheduled laps56
Scheduled distance305.066 km

Circuit highlights

  • The tightening radius of Turns 1–2
  • Braking at the end of the long straight

First F1 race at this circuit: 2004. Lap record: 1:32.238 · Michael Schumacher (2004).

Formula 1 · race information ↗

RACE RESULTS · 15 March 2026

Race podium

Driver portrait credits and licences ↗

Kimi Antonelli won the round on 2026-03-15. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton completed the podium. The official classification and points awarded appear below.

POLE POSITIONKimi Antonelli1:32.064Official qualifying ↗
FASTEST LAPKimi Antonelli1:35.275 · lap 52Official fastest laps ↗
Full classification · 22 drivers
Official race classification
POSDRIVER / TEAMPTSTIME / STATUS
P1
Kimi Antonelli
Kimi AntonelliMercedes
Details#12 · ANT · 56 laps · 1:33:15.607
251:33:15.607
P2
George Russell
George RussellMercedes
Details#63 · RUS · 56 laps · +5.515s
18+5.515s
P3
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis HamiltonFerrari
Details#44 · HAM · 56 laps · +25.267s
15+25.267s
P4
Charles Leclerc
Charles LeclercFerrari
Details#16 · LEC · 56 laps · +28.894s
12+28.894s
P5
Oliver Bearman
Oliver BearmanHaas F1 Team
Details#87 · BEA · 56 laps · +57.268s
10+57.268s
P6
Pierre Gasly
Pierre GaslyAlpine
Details#10 · GAS · 56 laps · +59.647s
8+59.647s
P7
Liam Lawson
Liam LawsonRacing Bulls
Details#30 · LAW · 56 laps · +80.588s
6+80.588s
P8
Isack Hadjar
Isack HadjarRed Bull Racing
Details#6 · HAD · 56 laps · +87.247s
4+87.247s
P9
Carlos Sainz
Carlos SainzWilliams
Details#55 · SAI · 55 laps · +1 lap
2+1 lap
P10
Franco Colapinto
Franco ColapintoAlpine
Details#43 · COL · 55 laps · +1 lap
1+1 lap
P11
Nico Hulkenberg
Nico HulkenbergAudi
Details#27 · HUL · 55 laps · +1 lap
0+1 lap
P12
Arvid Lindblad
Arvid LindbladRacing Bulls
Details#41 · LIN · 55 laps · +1 lap
0+1 lap
P13
Valtteri Bottas
Valtteri BottasCadillac
Details#77 · BOT · 55 laps · +1 lap
0+1 lap
P14
Esteban Ocon
Esteban OconHaas F1 Team
Details#31 · OCO · 55 laps · +1 lap
0+1 lap
P15
Sergio Perez
Sergio PerezCadillac
Details#11 · PER · 55 laps · +1 lap
0+1 lap
NC
Max Verstappen
Max VerstappenRed Bull Racing
Details#3 · VER · 45 laps · DNF
0DNF
NC
Fernando Alonso
Fernando AlonsoAston Martin
Details#14 · ALO · 32 laps · DNF
0DNF
NC
Lance Stroll
Lance StrollAston Martin
Details#18 · STR · 9 laps · DNF
0DNF
NC
Oscar Piastri
Oscar PiastriMcLaren
Details#81 · PIA · 0 laps · DNS
0DNS
NC
Lando Norris
Lando NorrisMcLaren
Details#1 · NOR · 0 laps · DNS
0DNS
NC
Gabriel Bortoleto
Gabriel BortoletoAudi
Details#5 · BOR · 0 laps · DNS
0DNS
NC
Alexander Albon
Alexander AlbonWilliams
Details#23 · ALB · 0 laps · DNS
0DNS
Full official classification ↗
CHAMPIONSHIP CONTEXT

2026 championship

The current standings below were verified after the latest completed race, Sepang, on 7 October 2026. They do not represent the standings immediately after this race.

Drivers and constructors · 2026 season ↗
F1 EXPLAINED · STRATEGY

Understand the weekend

VERIFIED · 7 October 2026Official source ↗