George Russell is the name of the one who will start from pole position for the Sprint race at the Chinese GP. In the qualifying held this Friday (13), the Mercedes driver surprised zero people and set a time of 1min31s520 to take the position of honor in the pack.
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The weekend in Shanghai is marked by the first Sprint race of the year. So, after a single free practice session, the competitors returned to the track to define the starting grid for the race on Saturday, 14.
So, starting from second place is his teammate Kimi Antonelli, with Lando Norris, Lewis Hamilton, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc completing the first three rows. Failing to reach SQ3, Gabriel Bortoleto lines up 14th in the pack.
The start for the Formula 1 Chinese GP Sprint race takes place next Saturday, March 14, at 00:00 Brasília time – from Friday to Saturday.
SQ1
For the definition of the starting positions, a setback for Cadillac, as Sergio Pérez would not participate in the qualifying in Shanghai.
Clock started at the Chinese circuit and after the single free practice, the drivers did not take long to leave the pits. In the first moments, some of the drivers already on the track were Max Verstappen, Nico Hulkenberg, Gabriel Bortoleto, Isack Hadjar, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris.
Times began to appear on the table and with 1min34s447, the Red Bull Frenchman was the fastest at the moment with Verstappen, Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad being the names with fast laps completed.
With the minutes ticking away in Shanghai, things were changing constantly and frantically on the circuit. The one in first place, unsurprisingly, was George Russell with 1min33s030, with Kimi Antonelli, Hamilton, Norris and Oscar Piastri closing the top 5 – at this moment, all drivers were on medium tires.
Meanwhile, in the elimination zone were Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso, Valtteri Bottas, Alexander Albon, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Pérez – the Williams Spaniard had not run in the single FP earlier.
Checkered flag and it was indeed Russell who had the best time of SQ1. Meanwhile, Sainz, Albon, Alonso, Stroll, Bottas and Pérez were eliminated in this first phase.
Meanwhile, on the radio, Verstappen asked Red Bull to check the car’s drivability, which was quite ‘nervous’ and difficult to drive.
SQ2
Clock started and the drivers now had ten minutes to try to place themselves among the ten fastest. It’s worth remembering that medium tires were still mandatory in this second phase of the Formula 1 Chinese GP Sprint qualifying.
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After the first laps, Pierre Gasly was in first with 1min33s564. Oliver Bearman, who even put a wheel on the dirt, was in second, but soon Verstappen took the lead with a time just 0s007 faster than the Alpine Frenchman.
Laps being completed and the one now in first place was Antonelli, but with 1min32s241, Russell jumped to first. Leclerc, Piastri, Norris, Hamilton, Verstappen, Gasly, Hadjar and Hülkenberg were in the top 10.
The names falling by the wayside in SQ2 in China were Esteban Ocon, Bortoleto, Lawson, Bearman, Lindblad and Franco Colapinto.
Checkered flag, SQ2 over and once again, George was the one who got the best time with 1min32s241, with Antonelli completing the Mercedes 1-2, followed by Leclerc, Piastri, Hamilton.
Meanwhile, the names that fell by the wayside and did not advance to the fight for pole position in Shanghai were Nico Hülkenberg, Ocon, Lawson, Bortoleto, Lindblad and Colapinto.
At the end, the stewards also indicated that an incident involving Bortoleto, Russell and Antonelli would be investigated after qualifying for not following race direction instructions.
SQ3
Green flag, session started and for this fight for the position of honor on the grid, the competitors would have eight minutes for their fast laps and wearing soft tires. With the clock running, Russell, Antonelli, Leclerc and Verstappen did not take long to leave the pits.
With 1min31s520, the Mercedes Briton established himself in first position, 0s360 ahead of his Italian colleague.
Best of the rest, Hamilton was third, more than 0s600 behind the leader.
Pierre Gasly, Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris and Oliver Bearman were the quartet that still had no time set in the final moments of SQ3.
In the final attempts, the competitors tried to beat Russell’s time, but without success, the Briton took the position of honor on the grid for the Sprint race. Antonelli and Norris complete the top 3.
F1 2026, Chinese GP, Sprint qualifying, result:
1) George Russell (Mercedes) 1’31.520 – 28 laps
2) Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) 1’31.809 – 29
3) Lando Norris (McLaren/Mercedes) 1’32.141 – 28
4) Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) 1’32.161 – 27
5) Oscar Piastri (McLaren/Mercedes) 1’32.224 – 27
6) Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 1’32.528 – 25
7) Pierre Gasly (Alpine/Mercedes) 1’32.888 – 27
8) Max Verstappen (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford) 1’33.254 – 24
9) Oliver Bearman (Haas/Ferrari) 1’33.409 – 26
10) Isack Hadjar (Red Bull/Red Bull Ford) 1’33.723 – 27
11) Nico Hülkenberg (Audi) 1’33.635 – 28
12) Esteban Ocon (Haas/Ferrari) 1’33.639 – 25
13) Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford) 1’33.714 – 25
14) Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi) 1’33.774 – 24
15) Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls/Red Bull Ford) 1’34.048 – 25
16) Franco Colapinto (Alpine/Mercedes) 1’34.327 – 30
17) Carlos Sainz (Williams/Mercedes) 1’34.761 – 17
18) Alexander Albon (Williams/Mercedes) 1’35.305 – 18
19) Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin/Honda) 1’35.581 – 24
20) Lance Stroll (Aston Martin/Honda) 1’36.151 – 20
21) Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac/Ferrari) 1’37.378
22) Sergio Pérez (Cadillac/Ferrari) – no time
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