
Mercedes' George Russell held an advantage of well over half a second to the next quickest Formula 1 team - the McLaren of Lando Norris - in sprint qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix.
This continued the Silver Arrows' bright start to the 2026 season, following on from its 1-2 finish in the Melbourne season opener. Although it was understood before the season that Mercedes was likely to contend at the front of the grid, its advantage thus far has been described as "impressive" by Oscar Piastri.