Formula 1, Sportrik Media - George Russell claimed sprint pole position for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix after a commanding performance in sprint qualifying at the Shanghai International Circuit for Mercedes.
Russell set a lap of 1:31.520 during his first run in SQ3, immediately establishing a benchmark that none of his rivals could beat. The British driver finished 0.360 seconds ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli, securing a front-row lockout for Mercedes.
Antonelli improved slightly during his second attempt, but Russell’s earlier lap remained untouched as the session concluded. Behind the Mercedes duo, Lando Norris placed third for McLaren, pushing Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari down to fourth position.
Norris’s team-mate Oscar Piastri completed the top five, while Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured sixth place on the grid for the sprint race.
Further down the order, Pierre Gasly finished seventh for Alpine, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen qualifying eighth for Red Bull Racing.
However, the provisional results remain subject to change. Antonelli is currently under investigation by the stewards for allegedly impeding Norris during the session, while Gasly is also facing scrutiny after an incident involving Verstappen.
With the Chinese Grand Prix operating under the sprint format this weekend, the sprint qualifying results determine the starting grid for the sprint race scheduled ahead of the main grand prix.
| POS | FOTO | RIDER / TEAM | TIME / GAP | PTS/LAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |  | George RussellMercedes | 1:31.520 United Kingdom | - - |
2 |  | Kimi AntonelliMercedes | 1:31.809 Italy | - - |
3 |  | Lando NorrisMcLaren | 1:32.141 United Kingdom | - - |
4 |  | Lewis HamiltonFerrari | 1:32.161 United Kingdom | - - |
5 |  | Oscar PiastriMcLaren | 1:32.224 Australia | - - |
6 |  | Charles LeclercFerrari | 1:32.528 Monaco | - - |
7 |  | Pierre GaslyAlpine | 1:32.888 France | - - |
8 |  | Max VerstappenRed Bull | 1:33.254 Netherlands | - - |
9 |  | Oliver BearmanHaas | 1:33.409 United Kingdom | - - |
10 |  | Isack HadjarRed Bull | 1:33.723 Prancis | - - |
11 |  | Nico HulkenbergAudi | 1:33.635 Germany | - - |
12 |  | Esteban OconHaas | 1:33.639 France | - - |
13 |  | Liam LawsonRacing Bulls | 1:33.714 New Zealand | - - |
14 |  | Gabriel BortoletoAudi | 1:33.774 Brazil | - - |
15 |  | Arvid LindbladRacing Bulls | 1:34.048 Inggris | - - |
16 |  | Franco ColapintoAlpine | 1:34.327 Argentina | - - |
17 |  | Carlos SainzWilliams | 1:34.761 Spain | - - |
18 |  | Alexander AlbonWilliams | 1:35.305 Thailand | - - |
19 |  | Fernando AlonsoAston Martin | 1:35.581 Spain | - - |
20 |  | Lance StrollAston Martin | 1:36.151 Canada | - - |
21 |  | Valtteri BottasCadillac | 1:37.378 Finlandia | - - |
22 |  | Sergio PerezCadillac | - Meksiko | - - |
Photo Gallery
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