All articles tagged with #chinese grand prix
Red Bull has revealed the reason behind Max Verstappen's late retirement from the Chinese Grand Prix, part of a chaotic Shanghai weekend that saw four DNS and three retirements; the article also reports an urgent plea to stop death threats against Esteban Ocon after the crash, along with McLaren's double-DNS explanation and Verstappen's warning that new F1 rules could backfire on the sport.
Peter Bonnington explains that working with Kimi Antonelli requires re-learning basics, a stark contrast to the seamless communication with veteran Lewis Hamilton. Antonelli secures his first career win at the Chinese Grand Prix, with Hamilton congratulating him, and Bonnington highlighting Antonelli's high energy and ability to unite the garage. Bonnington also notes the process of relearning practices when guiding a rookie versus a seasoned driver.
Red Bull revealed Max Verstappen retired from the Chinese Grand Prix due to an energy-recovery-system coolant failure, cutting short a late surge that had him seventh to sixth before the team retired the car to protect the hardware.
Peter Bonnington described Kimi Antonelli’s maiden F1 victory at the Chinese Grand Prix as a touching moment on the podium with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton, calling it a chance to feel like “getting the band back together.” He contrasted working with Antonelli to Hamilton, highlighting the young driver’s extra speed and energy and the trust Bonnington is building as Mercedes’ race engineer, while noting the mentor–protégé dynamic and the ongoing development needed to continue their championship pursuit.
After the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen criticized the 2026 F1 regulations as flawed and not racing, claiming fans don’t understand racing; Mercedes boss Toto Wolff pushed back, suggesting Verstappen’s critique may be related to Red Bull’s situation and describing Verstappen’s qualifying onboard as ‘horrendous’ to drive, while noting the Shanghai race delivered entertaining overtakes and mid‑field battles and that fan sentiment around the product remains positive, with some rule tweaks still possible.
Max Verstappen labeled Red Bull’s 2026 RB22 “undriveable” after qualifying eighth (ninth in sprint) at the Chinese Grand Prix, saying the car oversteers and understeers with little feedback and can’t be pushed, partly due to battery/power issues. He expects to start Sunday around eighth and doubts improvement will come quickly, noting teammate Isack Hadjar’s similar struggles and the weekend’s broader setup woes.
Lando Norris suffered a late electrical fault on his McLaren that forced the floor to be removed and prevented him from exiting the garage before the Chinese Grand Prix; the issue left him potentially starting from the pit lane and, in the update, Norris did not start the race, with teammate Oscar Piastri also not starting.
Kimi Antonelli will start the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix from pole, becoming the youngest pole-sitter in F1 history, with George Russell second and the Ferraris of Hamilton and Leclerc in third and fourth. The grid then features Piastri fifth, Norris sixth, Gasly seventh and Verstappen eighth, while Alex Albon starts from the pit lane amid a weekend of changes; note the grid is provisional until FIA confirmation.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff drew praise after a video showed his reaction to Lewis Hamilton finishing third in Chinese Grand Prix qualifying behind Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, with his line 'Still our driver' prompting an outpouring of support from F1 fans ahead of the 2026 race weekend.
Nineteen-year-old Antonelli claimed pole for the Chinese Grand Prix in a dramatic qualifying session dominated by reliability issues for Russell, including a broken front wing and a late gearbox hiccup. Leclerc led early in Q1, Hamilton finished 0.351 seconds off pole in third, Norris was close for McLaren, and Verstappen lamented a weekend that left the Red Bull undriveable and well off the pace.
George Russell will start the 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint from pole in Shanghai after a strong Friday lap, with Kimi Antonelli second and Lando Norris third while Lewis Hamilton qualifies fourth; Max Verstappen is eighth and Isack Hadjar tenth as the sprint grid is provisionally set, with Alex Albon due to start from the pit lane following a suspension setup change (grid remains provisional until FIA confirmation).
George Russell led a Mercedes 1-2 in the sole Chinese Grand Prix practice, with Kimi Antonelli second and Lando Norris third. Oscar Piastri was fourth and Charles Leclerc fifth, while Lewis Hamilton was sixth after an earlier spin on older tyres. Max Verstappen was eighth, behind Haas driver Oliver Bearman, and Arvid Lindblad retired after six laps with a reliability issue. Ferrari introduced a rear wing with a rotating flap for straight-line mode, and Norris and Hamilton collided at the final corner early in the session. Sprint qualifying is scheduled for 07:30 UK time.
The first practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix is underway, with Formula 1 fans eagerly following the action as teams and drivers prepare for the upcoming race.
Formula 1's latest adjustments to the sprint race format, moving it to Friday and making it a qualifying session for the main race, have drawn criticism as they undermine the significance of the sprint races. The changes have made the sprint sessions easier to skip, leading to concerns about their relevance and impact on the overall race weekend. Critics argue that the new format fails to create additional excitement and interest, ultimately questioning the purpose of having sprint races in the first place.