Round 2 in Shanghai — A Lot to Unpack
Photo from Formula 1.
Round 2 of the 2026 F1 season headed to Shanghai, and the Chinese Grand Prix delivered lots and lots of chaos. History was made, the reigning champions didn't start, and the divide between which teams are figuring out the new regulations and which are struggling became even clearer.
Sprint Weekend
China was the first Sprint weekend of the year, so teams got one practice session and then immediately went into the Sprint Qualifying. Mercedes’ George Russell won the Sprint cleanly after converting pole, while Kimi Antonelli had a messy Saturday — a difficult start cost him positions, he picked up a penalty for contact with Hadjar, and finished fifth. But not to fret! He then went straight into the Grand Prix qualifying and became the youngest driver in F1 history to take race position at just nineteen years old. Yes, sometimes I do think about the fact that Antonelli is only 18 months older than me, and yes, it does make me wonder what I’m doing with my life.
Race Results
The race had a lovely 2AM start time (CST at least). Four drivers couldn't start the Grand Prix, and two of them were McLaren teammates. Yep, the same ones who ended the 2025 season in 1st and 3rd. Norris was stuck in the pits with an electrical problem that the mechanics couldn't fix before the pit lane closed. Then Piastri's car was wheeled back in with a completely separate electrical issue minutes before lights out. That meant two different problems, two non-starts, and zero points for McLaren. For Piastri, it was his second DNS in two races after his warmup lap crash in Melbourne. He still hasn't started a Grand Prix in 2026. It's still a sore subject, so let's leave it at that.
When the race actually got going, Hamilton made an aggressive move from P3 into the lead on the opening lap. However, Antonelli was back in front by Lap 2, and that was essentially that — he built a gap, survived a late lock-up that gave his pit wall a brief panic attack, and won by 5.5 seconds over Russell. He's the second-youngest race winner in F1 history after Verstappen, and the first Italian winner since Fisichella in 2006. He was visibly emotional in parc ferme, and it was certainly a performance for the history books.
Another part of the race that kept viewers on their toes was the Hamilton vs. Leclerc battle for the final podium spot. They went wheel-to-wheel multiple times — Turn 1, Turn 9, Turn 14 — and Hamilton eventually got the move that stuck on Lap 39, earning him his first Grand Prix podium for Ferrari.
Ollie Bearman was fifth for Haas, best of the rest for the second race running. He dropped to twelfth on the opening lap after narrowly avoiding a spinning Hadjar, pitted under the Safety Car, and clawed his way back up. Gasly was sixth for Alpine, who scored with both cars — the only midfield team to do so. Lawson seventh, Hadjar eighth after recovering from his own first-lap spin, Sainz ninth for Williams in their first points of the year, and Colapinto tenth for Alpine's second score of the day after recovering from contact with Ocon.
Verstappen retired with a technical issue ten laps from the end. Both Aston Martins failed to finish again — same vibration problem as Melbourne — and they still don't have a fix. Audi had their second consecutive race with only one car on the grid.
Looking Forward
Mercedes have scored a 1-2 in both races so far. Ferrari are behind them, but by a significant margin. McLaren are in a difficult position with an underdeveloped car and power unit issues they don't understand. The midfield is Alpine and Haas right now, which was certainly not on my bingo sheet.
Japan is next, from March 26-29 at Suzuka. After that, the two races originally scheduled for April have been cancelled, which gives teams time to regroup before the calendar picks back up. For several teams, that break is going to be very welcome. Two races down, 20 to go!
