Full 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix FP1 Results

Check out the full 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix FP1 Results – George Russell led Mercedes 1-2 in the sole Formula 1 practice session at Shanghai International Circuit.

Russell delivered a late flyer on mediums—a blistering 1:32.741—that left rivals in the dust, while his teammate Kimi Antonelli shadowed him closely, just 0.120 seconds adrift, underscoring Mercedes’ superior pace following their victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

McLaren put up a strong fight but couldn’t match the Mercedes benchmark with Lando Norris claiming third, a full 0.555s off Russell’s pole-setting benchmark.

Norris, who had been vocal about tire management concerns post-Australia, extracted solid long-run pace but struggled in the high-speed Turn 13-14 complex where a minor brush with debris highlighted the session’s chaotic undertones.

Teammate Oscar Piastri followed in fourth, 0.731s down, his session marred slightly by traffic in the final sector but overall confirming McLaren’s status as the primary challengers with both drivers logging over 20 laps to simulate race conditions.

Ferrari’s afternoon was bittersweet as Charles Leclerc rounded out the top five, 0.858s behind the leader, benefiting from the team’s new “Macarena” rear wing debut that appeared to aid straight-line speed but lacked the outright grip in the twisty middle sector.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton endured a tougher outing in sixth, a hefty 1.388s off the pace, after his run was compounded by a dramatic clash with Norris at the final hairpin.

Further down, Haas’ Oliver Bearman punched above his weight in seventh, followed by embattled Red Bull driver Max Verstappen who languished in eighth as the team grappled with rear instability and what insiders called “tyre degradation concerns” echoing Melbourne woes.

Esteban Ocon was ninth fastest in the second Haas, edging out Pierre Gasly’s Alpine.

2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix FP1 Results

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