Mercedes Leads the Way in First Chinese GP Practice

Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli set the fastest times in a cool and disrupted first practice session for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, finishing first and second respectively. McLaren showed promising pace with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in a tight intra-team battle for third, while tricky conditions led to several spins and incidents throughout the hour.

Why it matters:

The session provided the first glimpse of the pecking order at the returning Shanghai circuit, with Mercedes appearing strong on the soft qualifying tyre. Practice times are not always definitive, but a 1-2 finish for the Silver Arrows, coupled with Red Bull's Max Verstappen finishing down in eighth, suggests a potentially competitive weekend ahead. The cool temperatures and low grip also highlighted a key challenge all teams will face.

The details:

• Mercedes on top: George Russell set the benchmark with a 1:32.741 on the soft C4 tyre in the final minutes, with teammate Kimi Antonelli just 0.120 seconds behind, making them the only drivers in the 1:32s bracket.
• McLaren's close fight: Lando Norris (P3) narrowly beat teammate Oscar Piastri (P4) by 0.176 seconds in the final qualifying simulations, indicating improved one-lap pace for the team in China.
• Ferrari's mixed session: Charles Leclerc finished fifth, but his final push lap was ruined by a mistake at the last corner. Lewis Hamilton was sixth, over half a second behind his teammate, after a spin at Turn 6.
• Challenging conditions: With ambient temperatures at just 12°C, tyre warm-up was difficult, leading to numerous lock-ups and snaps. Drivers like Russell, Norris, and Alpine's Franco Colapinto all experienced moments.
• Session disruptions: The action was halted twice: first for a Virtual Safety Car to clear debris, and later when Racing Bulls rookie Arvid Lindblad stopped on track with a mechanical issue, ending his session after just six laps.
• Other incidents: Haas's Oliver Bearman (P7) spun in the final moments, narrowly avoiding Lance Stroll. Alpine's Franco Colapinto also had a brief pitlane issue when his car got stuck in neutral.

What's next:

The data from FP1 will be crucial for dialing in car setups ahead of Sprint Qualifying later today. Teams will be focused on understanding the unique tyre warm-up challenges posed by the cold Shanghai track. All eyes will be on whether Mercedes can maintain its apparent single-lap advantage and if McLaren or Ferrari can close the gap when it counts for the Sprint grid.