RUSSELL WINS FIRST SPRINT RACE OF THE FORMULA 1 SEASON
George Russell won the Sprint Race at the Chinese Grand Prix after starting from pole position, continuing Mercedes’ strong start to the 2026 season. Behind him, Ferrari showed competitive race pace, with Charles Leclerc finishing second and Lewis Hamilton third.
The result was encouraging for Ferrari, as the SF-26 looked much closer to the Mercedes W17 during race conditions than it did in qualifying. Meanwhile, it was a difficult race for Kimi Antonelli and Red Bull.
Strong start for Ferrari
At the start, most drivers chose the medium tyre, while a few further back tried different strategies. Ferrari made an excellent launch, and after the first lap Hamilton briefly moved into the lead while Leclerc ran third.
Antonelli, who started on the front row, had a difficult getaway and dropped several positions in the opening corners. During the early laps he also made contact with Isack Hadjar, slightly damaging the front of his car. The incident later earned him a ten-second penalty.
At the front, Russell and Hamilton exchanged the lead in the first few laps. Eventually the Mercedes driver managed to pass Hamilton on the long straight and began to build a small gap.
Russell pulls away
As the race settled, the top three drivers, Russell, Hamilton and Leclerc, pulled a few seconds clear of the McLaren cars behind them.
Leclerc later passed his teammate to move into second place while Russell gradually increased his advantage at the front.
Antonelli began recovering positions despite the earlier incident, overtaking several drivers and eventually reaching the Ferrari pair. However, his penalty meant he would lose time later in the race.
Safety Car changes the race
The race took another turn when Nico Hülkenberg stopped on track with a problem on his Audi, bringing out the Safety Car.
Most drivers used the opportunity to pit for fresh tyres. Antonelli served his ten-second penalty during the stop and dropped back in the order, while Ferrari lost some time with a double pit stop that allowed Lando Norris to briefly move ahead of Hamilton.
When the race restarted with only a few laps remaining, Russell held the lead comfortably while Leclerc and Hamilton fought to secure the podium places.
Final laps
In the closing stages Hamilton managed to pass Norris again, restoring Ferrari’s second and third positions.
Russell controlled the final laps and crossed the line to win the Sprint Race. Leclerc finished second and Hamilton third, giving Ferrari a double podium.
Norris ended fourth, followed by Antonelli and Oscar Piastri. Liam Lawson, Oliver Bearman, Max Verstappen and Esteban Ocon completed the top ten.
While Mercedes confirmed its strength, Ferrari’s pace during the Sprint suggested the team could challenge more closely in the main Grand Prix. Red Bull, however, continued to struggle, with Verstappen finishing only ninth and outside the points.
Share this content:
