Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Joey Lynch

Formula One: Antonelli takes pole in Chinese GP qualifying ahead of Russell – as it happened

Joey Lynch Formula One (Event) Charles Leclerc George Russell Ferrari Shanghai Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
Kimi Antonelli (centre) poses with Mercedes teammate George Russell (left), who finished second, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who was third.
Kimi Antonelli (centre) poses with Mercedes teammate George Russell (left), who finished second, and Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who was third. Photograph: Maxim Shemetov/Reuters

Giles Richards's race report

But that’s about all that’s required from me. I’ll be back with you tomorrow to take you through all the action from the race, where the youngest pole sitter in F1 history will look to go coast-to-coast.

Be sure to check back in soon for Giles Richards’ full report.

Haha, Kimi’s father Marco Antonelli is on the broadcast. Positive but with a sting in the tail. “A bit lucky because George did only one push. But he did a good job.”

So it’ll be the Mercedes of Antonelli and Russell that will lock out the front row, followed by a second-row Ferrari lockout of Hamilton and Leclerc and a McLaren third-row papaya-out of Piastri and Norris.

Gasly in his Alpine moved up into P7, ahead of Verstappen, Hadjar, and Bearman.

Updated

Receiving a big cheer from the crowd, Hamilton notes that his Ferrari has, slightly, closed the gap on Mercedes.

It was actually a really tough qualifying, a bit harder this one with the wind. Putting the laps together was challenging. I am really, really happy to be up here. We did some good work, the engineers did some good work over the break and we managed to get a little closer to [the Mercedes] so that’s a positive.

I’m sure we’ll have some fun [on Sunday], I’m looking forward to it.

Russell tells the broadcast what happened to him at the end of Q2 and start of Q3. Doesn’t exactly paint a pretty picture.

Definitely damage limitation. In Q2 the front wing broke, and then in Q3 stopped out on track and then couldn’t change gear. On the last lap I had no battery, no tyre temp or anything. The team did a really good job.

Antonelli is speaking on the broadcast.

Was a pretty clean session, so really happy. Of course George had an issue, so would have been cool to see him with two [laps]. I saw he had an issue, but I just tried to keep my focus and deliver a good lap.

Kimi Antonelli goes pole!

Russell’s flying lap isn’t enough!

19-year-old Antonelli will start the Shanghai grand prix from pole position – the youngest pole sitter in the history of F1 (not a sprint race), breaking Sebastian Vettel’s record.

He’s the first Italian to go pole since Giancarlo Fisichella went fastest while driving for Force India but at the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix.

Updated

The only thing standing between Antonelli and becoming the youngest driver to ever go pole in F1 history is Russell’s flying lap.

Verstappen goes P7, pushing his teammate Hadjar down into P8.

Here comes Antonelli, setting a 1:32.064! Norris comes through and can’t improve from P3. Now Leclerc… he goes second! Now Hamilton goes P2! It’s all happening, with all eyes now on Russell’s one and only flying lap.

Norris has set a new fastest first sector as he looks to get his McLaren back onto the front row.

Russell is coming out, making his way out of the garage just as Antonelli begins another attempt at a flying lap.

Updated

So Russell remains in the garage as the rest of the nine drivers in Q3 head back out to get at least one more flying lap in.

The top ten as it stands: Antonelli, Piastri, Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton, Verstappen, Hadjar, Bearman, Gasly, and Russell.

Every driver has now set a lap in Q3 bar Russell. All eyes on the Mercedes dugout to see if the Championship favourite will be able to get back out there.

Norris has powered around the circuit and moved up onto the front row… for all of a few seconds because Piastri comes through behind him and sets a new second-fastest lap!

Updated

Russell has made it back to the pits and is now being pushed into the garage.

Hamilton, meanwhile, suffered oversteer on turn ten during his first flying lap of Q3, one that caused him to lose over half a second.

Updated

An opportunity now for someone to steal a march on our Championship leader.

Antonelli comes through first with a 1:32.322, with Leclerc and Hamilton following through in second and third.

“I cannot shift gears,” Russell says on the radio. “I’m stuck in first.”

Russell has stopped! He’s on the radio saying he’s got no battery! The yellow flags are out but he’s able to get it going again. But can he set any kind of time or does he need to pull the pin.

Updated

Q3 Begins

The shootout for pole is underway in Shanghai.

As the F1’s race around Shanghai, it’s also good news for China at the Women’s Asian Cup.

After being taken to extra-time by Taiwan, defending champions China have found the two goals they’ll need to set up a semi-final meeting with Australia next week: Ziqin Shao – one of my favourite players of the tournament – netting in the 94th minute and an own-goal from Chen Ying-Hui then sealing the game in the 118.

Updated

We say goodbye to six more drivers at the end of Q2, with Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Ocon, Lawson, Lindblad and Bortoleto all dropping out.

Ohh, hello, Russell is on the radio complaining about ‘major understeer’

There’s a yellow flag on the final lap! Bortoleto has gone off!

That means that Lindblad’s last flying attempt at a flying lap is going to get wiped out.

Gasly, meanwhile, goes fifth-fastest. Colapinto comes through next… and like Hulkenberg he can’t overhaul Hadjar! The Red Bull driver survives.

Updated

Now the tenth-fastest, Hadjar has started a flying lap, with Hulkenberg looking to overhaul him and send him packing in the place of his Audi.

Up the other end, Antonelli has flown through for a new fastest time.

On his new set of soft tyres, Piastri has moved up to sixth and should be safe for Q3.

Leclerc sets a new fastest time and while Hamilton remains down in third and the conclusion of his fastest lap, there’s less than a tenth-of-a-second between Leclerc, Russell, and Hamilton.

Updated

With fewer than five minutes remaining, Russell has set the fastest time of Q2, followed by Hamilton, Leclerc, Antonelli, and Verstappen.

Down the other end, Hulkenberg, Ocon, Colapinto, Lawson, Lindblad, and Bortoleto are in the elimination zone.

Bearman is getting a lot of pace out of his Haas, recording the sixth-fastest time in Q2 to now.

Piastri puts a new set of soft tyres on and heads back out there, with the Australian, currently with the tenth-fastest time and on the elimination bubble, now likely to put plenty of space between him and that relegation zone.

Every driver has now set a time and the elimination zone reads Hulkenberg, Ocon, Colapinto, Lawson, Lindblad, and Bortoleto.

Verstappen comes around with the fifth fastest time, clearing Norris, Hadjar, and Piastri’s first attempts. Hulkenberg then comes around with the, so far, slowest lap of Q2.

The two Ferraris of Hamilton and Leclerc complete their first flying laps of Q2 and while they’re quicker than Antonelli’s Mercedes, they’re not faster than Russell’s.

Antonelli comes around with a 1:32.950, only for Russell to follow through with a lap nearly half a second quicker.

Antonelli gets an early flying lap started.

Q2 Begins

Our remaining 16 cars are back out there for Q2.

Updated

We have lost our first six drivers at the end of Q1: the Williams of Sainz and Albon, the Aston Martins of Alonso and Stroll, and the Cadillacs of Bottas and Perez all dropping out. Bottas, however, did go faster than Stroll – something of a milestone for the brand new constructor.

We know the Williams car is overweight and Albon’s message on the radio is short and sweet: “Terrible.”

Updated

Sainz has escaped the bottom six, as has Lindblad. Ooops, now Sainz is back in the bottom six. Unlucky.

Verstappen, meanwhile, has gone fourth fastest.

Updated

Nope, the Red Bulls have both put soft tyres on to guarantee their safety. Verstappen has begun his first flying lap but the broadcast isn’t too keen on it thus far, saying his car looks uncomfortable to drive.

Hadjar and Verstappen have set the 14th and 15th fastest times on their mediums – now the only drivers on the grid rolling around on mediums – in Q1 but both are on out laps

Leclerc has set the fastest time in Q1, followed by Russell, Antonelli, Hamilton, Norris, Piastri, Gasly, Ocon, Hulkenberg, and Lawson.

It’s Williams, Aston Martin, and Cadillac occupying the elimination zone with less than five minutes remaining: Albon, Sainz, Alonso, Bottas, Stroll, and Perez all slowest.

Hamilton, on his new tyres, goes third-fastest, trailing only the Mercedes.

Updated

So, with every driver having recorded a lap, it’s Alonso, Albon, Hamilton, Stroll, Bottas, and Perez occupying the elimination zone. Hamilton has decided the mediums experiment is over and switched to a set of new softs.

Antonelli sets a new fastest flying lap, going nearly seven-tenths faster than Piastri. Then Russell comes through 0.043 faster than his teammate.

Ten minutes remaining in Q1 and it’s Alonso, Bottas, Stroll, Perez occupying the elimination zone. The Mercedes are yet to record laps but one expects they’ll send a few cars down once they do.

Heyoo, replays showing that Hamilton almost spun out as he went through turn eight, but he was able to recover.

Perez has emerged from the pits, as have the Mercedes, so all 22 drivers will record a time today.

Updated

Piastri comes through with a new fastest lap, while Hulkenberg comes through with the second-fastest.

Updated

Leclerc sets his first lap, coming in behind the opening attempt of Verstappen. Hamilton, meanwhile, rolled through in fifth and is already slipping back.

Updated

A few drivers are starting to set some early times, with Hadjar setting the fastest time, only to be promptly surpassed by Verstappen.

Every driver has now headed out there except for Russell, Antonelli, and Perez.

Most of those on the track have softs on, bar Hamilton and the Red Bulls of Verstappen and Hadjar, who are on mediums.

Q1 Begins

Qualifying in Shanghai is underway, with Bottas – who took pole here in 2019 – leading them out.

Updated

A few names to keep an eye on in qualifying are Lindblad, Hulkenberg, and Bottas, all of whom retired from the sprint race.

I don’t know what a Labubu is and at this stage, I’m too afraid to ask.

Updated

Less than 20 minutes to go until the start of qualifying in China. Just enough time for someone at the track to grab me one of those peach oolong teas they sell in convenience stores over there. I’m obsessed with those.

Conditions in Shanghai look to be good for qualifying, with temperatures reading 16°C (61°F) and no hint of any rain in the sky.

Here’s your refresher for qualifying, which, once again in 2026, will take part in three stages.

Every car present will take the track in Q1 and set a time across 18 minutes, with the cars that come in ranked last through 17th eliminated at its conclusion.

After a brief break, the remaining cars will return for a 15 minute Q2 session, at the conclusion of which the cars ranked 16th through 11th will be sent packing.

After a shorter seven minute break, qualifying will then conclude with a 13 minute Q3 session in which the ten remaining cars will battle it out for pole position.

After this week’s visit to Shanghai, the campaign will shift to Japan in a fortnight’s time, racing at the legendary Suzuka Circuit.

Following that, however, we might not be back racing again until May: with widespread reports emerging that the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races is imminent.

Of course, if you believe social media (don’t), you’d have already known that if you’d just eavesdropped on two drivers flying to China.

Have you heard about the duo that have mastered the dark art of energy management? No, I’m not talking about a particular enthralling game of Magic: The Gathering but, instead, just why Russell and Antonelli have stolen a march on their rivals early on in the 2026 championship.

Verstappen, though, clearly isn’t a fan of the new rules (we’re yet to get word on his thoughts about Magic: The Gathering) and has reiterated that he will be willing to leave the sport if he ceased to enjoy it.

And it’s Nina Gademan who has taken the chequered flag in the first race of the 2026 F1 Academy campaign, leading the podium from Natalia Granada and Emma Felbermayr.

Updated

The World Drivers' Championship standings

Here’s how the drivers’ standings look following the completion of the Melbourne grand prix and the sprint race earlier today.

  1. George Russell, Mercedes, 33

  2. Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes, 22

  3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, 22

  4. Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, 18

  5. Lando Norris, McLaren, 15

  6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, 8

  7. Oliver Bearman, Haas, 7

  8. Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls, 4

  9. Oscar Piastri, McLaren, 3

  10. Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi, 2

  11. Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls, 2

  12. Pierre Gasly, Alpine, 1

  13. Esteban Ocon, Haas

  14. Alexander Albon, Williams

  15. Franco Colapinto, Alpine

  16. Carlos Sainz, Williams

  17. Sergio Perez, Cadillac

  18. Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

  19. Nico Hulkenberg, Audi

  20. Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin

  21. Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac

  22. Lance Stroll, Aston Martin

What were the other major takeaways from our season-opening race in Melbourne?

Well, you won’t be surprised to learn that the (increasingly furious) debate surrounding the new regulations governing the sport played a big role, with Lando Norris declaring the state of affairs “sucks” and Leclerc saying that “This is like the mushroom in Mario Kart.”

The F1 Academy is currently out on the Shanghai circuit, staging their first race of the season in a reverse grid format.

With a safety car bunching the pack up on lap eight of 13, Nina Gademan leads the pack in her Alpine, followed by Natalia Granada, and Rafaela Ferreira.

Updated

For all the talk of the Mercedes’ speed we’ve been doing throughout this young season, Hamilton believes that Ferrari has what it takes to challenge the German team this year.

If you’re after a full wrap-up of the first sprint race of the campaign then don’t worry, Giles Richards has you covered.

Preamble

Howdy all, it’s ya boi Joey Lynch here and welcome to the Guardian’s live coverage of the 2026 Formula One world championship, continuing today with qualifying from the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.

After last week’s one-two finish in Melbourne, Mercedes have already flexed their muscle in the Magic City, with championship leader George Russell winning from pole in the sprint race staged earlier today. He didn’t have it all his own way, coming under significant pressure from the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Nonetheless, with nobody yet showing that they’re capable of going with the Mercedes in this new era of regulations – aside from maybe Ferrari at lights out – Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli will be considered the favourites once more.

Will they actually be able to deliver, though, or can Ferrari upset the party? Can McLaren find some pace? Will Max Verstappen ever smile again? We’re about to find out.

Qualifying in Shanghai starts at 3pm local/6pm AEDT/7am GMT.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
‘There Were Some Lines That Were Crossed’: Travis Barker’s Ex Shanna Moakler On What It’s Like Co-Parenting With Kourtney Kardashian
Alabama and Landon's mom speaks out.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Nobody Wants This Is Inviting One Lucky Viewer To Set for Season Three Filming
Nobody Wants This Is Inviting One Lucky Viewer To Set for Season Three Filming
Marie Claire
Marie Claire
I'm Rewatching Orange Is The New Black, And The BTS Financial Situation Still Bothers Me
Justice for the women of Litchfield.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
The Brutally Honest Response A TV Exec Had When Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan Pitched The Show
Turns out not everyone thought Breaking Bad sounded like a good idea.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
‘As Douchey As It Is…’ Charlie Day Knows Why It’s Always Sunny Co-Star Rob Mac Changed His Name
This is a fair (and funny) take.
Cinemablend
Cinemablend
Women go out to eat at BJ’s in Cupertino. They didn’t expect the burger to come with a side of biohazard: ‘I’m gonna get…a full meal paid for’
While eating out has become common with how busy people’s lives are, we sometimes forget how much trust we’re putting in strangers to make sure what we’re served is hygienic.
The Mary Sue
The Mary Sue
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play