The F1 Nation team review the biggest stories from the first Sprint weekend of the season in Shanghai.
Kimi Antonelli took his maiden Grand Prix victory in China, becoming the second-youngest F1 race winner after Max Verstappen, as Mercedes recorded another 1-2 to extend their 2026 winning streak. George Russell finished second on Sunday and remains the Championship leader, while Lewis Hamilton claimed a first rostrum for Ferrari.
McLaren endured a disastrous weekend, unable to get either car to the start of the Grand Prix; their double DNF leaves them adrift in the standings, and Oscar Piastri has yet to start a Grand Prix this season. F1 TV commentator and former driver Jolyon Palmer joined Tom Clarkson in the paddock to dissect the action, with Pete Bonnington joining after his young charge secured the victory.
Red Bull were off the pace all weekend in China and suffered reliability problems that forced Max Verstappen to retire from the race. Isack Hadjar’s P8 was the team’s sole points haul across the Sprint and Grand Prix. Conversely, Ollie Bearman and Haas enjoyed success, Bearman finishing an impressive fifth, and Pierre Gasly produced a strong showing for Alpine.
Reliability cropped up elsewhere: Alexander Albon and Gabriel Bortoleto failed to make the start, and both Aston Martin drivers retired before the flag. The weekend also featured several on-track incidents, including a collision between Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto, and Hadjar nearly collecting Bearman in the opening stages.
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