On Friday, March 13, 2026, the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix started at the Shanghai International Circuit. The day had two big sessions: Free Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying. These sessions were important because they decided the starting grid for Saturday’s sprint race. Teams also tested the new 2026 rules, which changed how drivers manage energy and control their cars. The track had a new resurfaced layer, so drivers had to adjust their driving style during the fast and busy sprint weekend.
Mercedes ‘ domination led to a Fantastic Day One of the 2026 Chinese GP
The first day of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix took place on Friday, March 13, 2026, at the Shanghai International Circuit. Mercedes had a very strong start to the weekend. George Russell was very fast in the only Free Practice 1 session, while young rookie Kimi Antonelli also impressed with his speed. Both drivers performed well again in Sprint Qualifying. Their great pace helped Mercedes dominate Day 1 of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix and set a strong tone for the sprint race weekend.
Incidents and Technical Problems on Day One of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
During the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix practice on Friday, March 13, several drivers faced problems. Lewis Hamilton from Ferrari spun at Turn 6 and also had a small contact with Lando Norris in the busy session. Rookie Arvid Lindblad from Racing Bulls stopped at Turn 14, which caused a Virtual Safety Car. Franco Colapinto of Alpine spun at Turn 9 and later stopped in the pit lane. Carlos Sainz from Williams stayed mostly in the garage because of a data issue.
Top Drivers Shine in Practice at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix
In the practice session of the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, George Russell from Mercedes was the fastest with a lap time of 1 minute 32.741 seconds. His teammate Kimi Antonelli finished second, just 0.120 seconds behind, which was impressive in his first sprint weekend. Lando Norris from McLaren finished third even after a small contact with Lewis Hamilton. Oscar Piastri placed fourth, showing McLaren’s strong pace. Oliver Bearman from Haas also surprised many fans by finishing seventh in the only practice session.
| Position | Driver | Team | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes | Fastest lap 1m 32.741s |
| 2 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 0.120s behind Russell |
| 3 | Lando Norris | McLaren | Solid pace despite contact |
| 4 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | Strong performance |
| 7 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | Impressive result in FP1 |
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