Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Sprint Race Qualifying Results George Russell secured pole position for the first sprint race of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the Chinese Grand Prix, leading his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli by 0.289 seconds. Lando Norris of McLaren followed in third, with Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari taking fourth, just 0.02 seconds behind Norris. Oscar Piastri of McLaren rounded out the top five, while Charles Leclerc of Ferrari finished sixth. Max Verstappen of Red Bull placed eighth, 1.734 seconds off the pace, and Pierre Gasly of Alpine started seventh. Mercedes dominated the qualifying session, with Russell and Antonelli securing the front row. The Italian driver, Antonelli, admitted he fell short in the final sector during the final lap, but expressed confidence in his ability to improve for the race. “I’m feeling good in the car. It’s more about details and tomorrow we will try to have a good start,” he said. Russell praised his team’s performance, noting the car’s strong pace and the engine’s reliability. “The car has been feeling amazing. After Melbourne, we had a really good car and the engine has been performing really well,” he added. Norris, who finished third, was pleased with his result, stating he beat both Ferrari drivers and was satisfied with his position. “P3 is as good as we can do for the time being. I’m actually happy to beat both of the Ferraris today because they seemed pretty good the whole day,” he said. He also highlighted the simplicity of the track, which allowed teams to focus more on power unit efficiency. The sprint race will start at 03:00 UK time on Saturday, with qualifying for the main grand prix scheduled for 07:00 the same day. The race will be 19 laps long, and the grid will be set based on the sprint qualifying results.#mercedes #george_russell #lando_norris #kimi_antonelli #chinese_grand_prix
Charles Leclerc Addresses Ferrari’s 'Regret' Theory as 'Gamble' Backfires Charles Leclerc’s performance at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix highlighted Ferrari’s potential but also exposed critical strategic missteps. Despite a strong start, the team’s inability to capitalize on opportunities underscored a gap between their race pace and competitors like Mercedes. Leclerc, in his eighth full season with Ferrari, surged into the lead early, but the team’s decision to avoid pitting under safety car conditions proved costly. Ferrari’s SF-26 car, equipped with a smaller turbocharger, was expected to provide a significant advantage in race starts. Leclerc’s fourth-place qualifying position did not deter him from overtaking multiple cars in the opening laps, while Lewis Hamilton, starting seventh after Oscar Piastri’s pre-race accident, climbed to third. However, the team’s strategy choices during the race ultimately limited their ability to challenge Mercedes for the lead. Data analysis revealed that Ferrari’s decision to delay pit stops during safety car periods cost them valuable time. The team missed two opportunities to pit under early virtual safety car (VSC) conditions, widening the gap between their cars and the Mercedes duo of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli. By the race’s end, Leclerc’s deficit of 15.5 seconds raised questions about how differently the race might have unfolded with a more aggressive approach. Leclerc addressed the team’s strategy in a post-race interview, stating that Ferrari’s decision to extend their race plan rather than pit under the VSC was a conscious choice. “We targeted the optimum for us, and the optimum was to extend,” he said. While he acknowledged Mercedes’ superior pace, he emphasized that the team’s strategy was not the issue.#charles_leclerc #ferrari #mercedes #george_russell #kimi_antonelli
