Full Starting Grid Revealed for 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint
The starting order for the Sprint race at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix has been confirmed following an intense Sprint Qualifying session at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Leading the field will be George Russell, who delivered an impressive lap to secure pole position for the short race on Friday afternoon. The Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team driver maintained his strong start to the 2026 season by finishing three-tenths of a second ahead of his rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli, giving Mercedes a dominant front-row lockout.
Russell’s performance highlights the team’s early-season momentum, with the Briton continuing to demonstrate both speed and consistency across the opening rounds of the championship. His young team-mate Antonelli also impressed, showing remarkable composure and pace to secure second place on the grid.
Starting in third will be the reigning world champion Lando Norris, who emerged as the closest challenger to Mercedes during Sprint Qualifying. The McLaren star looked competitive throughout the session but ultimately could not match the outright pace of the Silver Arrows.
Fourth place on the grid went to Lewis Hamilton, who produced a strong performance for Scuderia Ferrari. The seven-time world champion managed to outqualify his team-mate Charles Leclerc, offering a positive sign for Ferrari as they aim to remain competitive against Mercedes and McLaren this weekend.
Behind Hamilton, Oscar Piastri secured fifth position for McLaren, while Leclerc will line up sixth. The midfield battle appears tight heading into the sprint race, with Pierre Gasly placing seventh for Alpine F1 Team after a solid qualifying effort.
One of the biggest surprises of the session came from Max Verstappen, who endured a difficult outing. The Red Bull Racing star could only manage eighth place on the grid, far below the expectations usually associated with the four-time world champion. His team-mate Isack Hadjar struggled even more and will start from tenth position.
Meanwhile, Oliver Bearman delivered an impressive performance to secure ninth for Haas F1 Team, continuing to show promising speed.
The Sprint race in Shanghai represents the first short-format race of the 2026 Formula One season, giving drivers a chance to earn valuable championship points before the main Grand Prix on Sunday. With a packed grid and several top contenders starting close together, the sprint is expected to produce plenty of on-track battles.
Further down the grid, teams such as Audi F1 Team, Williams Racing, and Aston Martin will be hoping to climb through the field and collect points during the short race.
However, the starting grid remains provisional and will only become official once confirmed by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.
Full Starting Grid – 2026 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint
Position Driver Team
1 George Russell Mercedes
2 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes
3 Lando Norris McLaren
4 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari
5 Oscar Piastri McLaren
6 Charles Leclerc Ferrari
7 Pierre Gasly Alpine
8 Max Verstappen Red Bull
9 Oliver Bearman Haas
10 Isack Hadjar Red Bull
11 Nico Hulkenberg Audi
12 Esteban Ocon Haas
13 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls
14 Gabriel Bortoleto Audi
15 Arvid Lindblad Racing Bulls
16 Franco Colapinto Alpine
17 Carlos Sainz Williams
18 Alex Albon Williams
19 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin
20 Lance Stroll Aston Martin
21 Valtteri Bottas Cadillac
22 Sergio Perez Cadillac
With Mercedes occupying the entire front row and strong challengers directly behind them, the sprint race promises an exciting battle in Shanghai. The short format often creates aggressive racing, and with championship points available, drivers will be eager to gain positions before Sunday’s main event.
