2026 Chinese GP – FP1 Classification: Mercedes on another planet, Ferrari behind the McLarens

The classification of free practice 1 of the F1 Chinese GP

Here is the complete classification at the end of free practice 1 of the 2026 F1 Chinese GP:

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The report of FP1 in Shanghai

Those who expected a profoundly different picture at the debut of the new Formula 1 on a permanent and very technical track like that of Shanghai, for the moment remain disappointed. On the contrary, the results of the Melbourne weekend seem not only confirmed but even enhanced by the first free practice of the 2026 Chinese GP. Which ends exactly as the Australian weekend had concluded, namely with the first position of a George Russell who seems to want to demolish his opponents, with an Andrea Kimi Antonelli who however manages to at least stay in his slipstream and with a Toto Wolff who once again laughs while watching his protégés from the Mercedes box.

The gap inflicted by the two Silver Arrows on everyone else, net of the usual unknowns of free practice, remains in fact quite wide: the first of the pursuers is, surprisingly, Lando Norris with McLaren, who pays half a second gap and precedes his garage mate Oscar Piastri by barely two tenths. Immediately behind the two Ferraris, which tested the long-awaited mobile rear wing known as “Macarana” on track: Charles Leclerc is fifth, 8 tenths behind Russell, with Lewis Hamilton in sixth position but 1.3 behind the leader.

The Ferrari session was not very clean, however, unlike the Mercedes one: Leclerc with Soft tyres failed to convincingly improve the time set with Mediums, while Hamilton was the protagonist first of a slight contact with Norris and then also of a spin on the first lap with Mediums which led him to flat-spot the tyres and therefore to fit Softs earlier than expected (anticipating by a lot, on a still dirty track, the qualifying simulation).

An uphill start, finally, for Red Bull: Max Verstappen is only eighth behind even Oliver Bearman and 1.8 seconds behind, while Isack Hadjar is even 13th, more than two seconds adrift. Speaking of Red Bull Ford engines, technical problems for Arvid Lindblad, who parked his Racing Bulls at the side of the track after less than a quarter of an hour of practice, making the rest of his weekend difficult.

2026 F1 Chinese GP, live and classification of free practice 1

You can relive the emotions of the first free practice session in China with our live report.

The weekend schedule

F1 returns to the track in the morning, with sprint qualifying at 8.30 Italian time which will issue the first verdicts of the weekend by establishing the starting grid for the Sprint Race, scheduled instead for the night between Friday 13 and Saturday 14, at 4.00. The appointment with qualifying is instead for 8.00 tomorrow.

Sunday, March 15, instead, another early wake-up call to follow the Chinese GP live, the second stage of the 2026 F1 World Championship which will start at 8 in the morning. Here are all the weekend times with details of the television coverage.

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