@MercedesAMGF1 1-2 in #ChineseGP FP1 as @GeorgeRussell63 Leads #Antonelli in Shanghai. #F1
George Russell drives the Mercedes F1 W17 during Free Practice 1 for the Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix 2026 at the Shanghai International Circuit. Image credit to: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images. Russell Chinese GP FP1, Russell fastest Shanghai practice.
Russell Chinese GP FP1 – Australian GP winner George Russell ended the sole practice session on-top of the time-sheets ahead of team-mate Andrea Kimi Antonelli heading a Mercedes one-two as reigning world champion Lando Norris completed the top three for McLaren.
Image credit to: Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images. Russell Chinese GP FP1, Russell fastest Shanghai practice.
Russell on the C4 red-marked softer compounds, posted the session-topping benchmark of a 1:332.741 and was 0.120 seconds clear of team-mate Antonelli whilst Norris was a further 0.555 seconds adrift in third.
Haas’s Esteban Ocon lead the pack out on the C3 yellow-marked medium compounds.
Championship leader Russell was the first to register the benchmark of a 1:42.309 but was quickly beaten by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly’s 1:37.754 effort.
Replays showed McLaren’s Norris and Ferrari’s Sir Lewis Hamilton have a slight tangle at the final corner.
Hamilton also suffered a big spin on the run-down to turn six and heavily flat-spotted his mediums. The seven-time world champion continued on.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg slotted into second with his 1:39.640 but was ousted by Mercedes’ Antonelli who jumped to P1 on a 1:35.094 as Verstappen planted his RB22 second.
Piastri was next putting his McLaren 0.949 seconds off Antonelli’s benchmark as Leclerc moved up into second with his 1:35.543 effort.
Gasly with three personal bests went up into third setting a 1:35.974 to be 0.880 off Antonelli’s best time.
His team-mate Russell with three personal best took top spot on a 1:35.065 to be a slim 0.029 seconds clear.
The incident involving Hamilton and Norris is currently under investigation by the race stewards as the Virtual Safety Car was brought out to clear debris on the straight.
This saw Antonelli who was on a flyer abandon his lap, which could have put him above his team-mate at the head of the timesheets.
Replays showed Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto suffer a lock-up into the turn six hairpin. The Brazilian continued on.
After the VSC ended, Verstappen with two personal best opening sectors could only reach fifth overall to be 1.871 seconds off Russell’s best time.
The yellow flags were brought out after Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad was seen parked up at the turn 14 hairpin as Russell improved once more at the top with a 1:34.169 effort.
Bearman put his Haas provisionally second with his 1:34.950 effort, then was pipped by Antonelli’s 1:34.954 and could have taken top spot once more but had to lift off after Lindblad’s stoppage with the Virtual Safety Car deployed again.
Replays showed Lindblad’s onboard of his VCARB02 racer’s fire extinguisher going off.
Leclerc put his Ferrari second in the order after the VSC ended to be 0.538 seconds adrift of Russell’s benchmark whilst Norris was up to fifth posting his 1:35.572 hot-lap time.
Most of the field were back in the pits adjusting their setups, whilst Leclerc still on-track improved on his best effort setting two personal bests to be 0.240 seconds off Russell with a 1:34.409.
Ocon with three personal bests pushed to eighth in the classification, to be 1.612 seconds off Russell’s best time as the session reached the 25th minute mark of proceedings.
Piastri was next on his flying lap on the medium rubber and the Australian improved with a 1:35.120 to slot into fifth and above reigning world champion team-mate Norris.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton on the softer compounds pushed to take fifth off the McLaren driver, setting a 1:34.985 to end up 0.816 seconds off former team-mate Russell’s best effort.
The majority of teams were continuing on with the mediums simulating for the Sprint and the Grand Prix itself just past the half-an-hour mark.
Hamilton posted three personal bests to set a 1:34.617 to end up 0.448 seconds off Russell’s best time.
Piastri was next on his push lap on the mediums, and three personal bests put the Australian third to be 0.381 seconds off Russell’s best time as replays showed the McLaren driver suffer a snap into turn one because of the tail wind and later in the lap dipping his right wheels in the gravel trap exiting out the final corner.
Hamilton with two personal bests on his next tour on the softs, posted a 1:34.377 to go second in the order and 0.208 seconds off Russell with 23 minutes left on the clock with the Briton and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll the only drivers circulating the Shanghai International Circuit on the softs.
Stroll could only reach 18th overall to be a huge 3.098 seconds adrift of Russell’s best time.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz, who was stuck in the garage after a data issue plagued the Spaniard, finally emerged on circuit and with two personal bests on the medium tyres, was down at the rear.
Sainz then replaced Stroll with the 18th quickest time setting a 1:37.055 effort.
Alonso on the softs, jumped to 17th with his 1:36.761 as his team-mate Stroll remained in 20th despite two personal bests.
Championship leader Russell and team-mate Antonelli emerged on the C4 red-marked softer tyres to begin their qualifying simulation stints as Alpine’s Colapinto is stuck in pit-lane.
Sainz went up to 17th overall to be 2.479 off Russell’s benchmark on his next flyer.
Russell on his initial hot-lap on the softs with three personal bests improved to a 1:32.807 at the top as Hamilton remained in second provisionally as Antonelli jumped to second behind his team-mate with a purple sector three to be 0.156 seconds adrift.
Leclerc was next on his hot-lap and setting two personal bests moved to third best with his 1:33.599 to end up 0.792 seconds off Russell’s benchmark with 12 minutes remaining.
Russell was on another flyer and the Australian GP winner, improved once to at the head of the time-sheets, setting a 1:32.741 as his team-mate Antonelli lost a heap of time in the final sector and ended up 0.222 seconds off.
Reigning world champion Norris with three personal bests moved to fourth overall splitting the Ferrari pairing and was 0.959 seconds adrift of fellow-British-compatriot Russell’s benchmark.
Verstappen with three personal bests jumped to eighth and was 1.800 seconds off Russell on his flyer using the C4’s.
Piastri was next with three personal best efforts moved to third in the order setting a 1:33.477 but was pipped by Antonelli’s 1:32.861 flyer to return back to second place behind his Mercedes team-mate with less than five minutes remaining.
Leclerc, on his next tour with his qualifying simulation stint, messed up right at the final corner running over the gravel trap after suffering a snap of oversteer and was unable to improve.
Piastri improved a fraction to end up 0.731 seconds adrift of Russell’s benchmark to be third only momentarily as his McLaren team-mate Norris relegated the Australian to fourth with his 1:33.296 effort.
The session ended with a Mercedes one-two, Russell ahead of Antonelli as Norris rounded out the top three.
Piastri followed in fourth and in-front of the two Ferrari’s of Leclerc and Hamilton who were fifth and sixth respectively.
Bearman who suffered a spin right at the end, was seventh and ahead of four-time world champion Verstappen who took eighth for Red Bull whilst Hulkenberg and Gasly completed the top ten.
You can see the full Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Free Practice 1 Results Classification at the link: FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2026 – PRACTICE 1
