Chinese GP update:Hamilton struggles ,Mercedes flying cars stopping… Read more
Hamilton struggles ,Mercedes flying cars stopping… Read more
The only practice session ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix under the new Formula One 2026 regulations produced a mixture of strong performances and worrying reliability problems for several teams. While some teams struggled to keep their cars running smoothly, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team looked extremely competitive, with their drivers comfortably topping the timing sheets.
At the front of the field, George Russell delivered the fastest lap of the session with a time of 1:32.741, putting him at the top of the leaderboard. His young teammate Kimi Antonelli also impressed, finishing just 0.120 seconds behind Russell. The strong performance from both drivers suggested that Mercedes may have adapted very well to the new technical regulations introduced for the 2026 season.
Behind Mercedes, McLaren appeared to be the next most competitive team. Lando Norris secured third place on the timesheets, finishing just over half a second slower than Russell. His teammate Oscar Piastri followed closely in fourth place, only a few tenths further behind. Their consistent pace indicated that McLaren could be one of the key challengers during the race weekend.
Scuderia Ferrari showed flashes of speed but did not appear as dominant as they had been at the season opener in Melbourne during the Australian Grand Prix. Charles Leclerc managed to secure fifth place and kept the McLaren drivers within reach, but the team could not match the impressive pace set by the Mercedes cars.
For Lewis Hamilton, the session proved to be much more challenging. The seven-time world champion struggled to find the same level of performance as his teammate Leclerc. Hamilton ended the practice session more than half a second slower than Leclerc and nearly one and a half seconds behind Russell’s fastest lap. His difficulties began early in the session when he had a close moment with Norris on track. Shortly afterward, Hamilton spun his car, which caused a flat spot on his tyres and disrupted his preparation for the remainder of the session.
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen could only manage eighth place for Red Bull Racing, a surprisingly modest result for the reigning champion’s team. Although the session was only practice, the gap to the leading Mercedes cars suggested that Red Bull might still be searching for the optimal setup under the new rules.
Elsewhere in the midfield, several teams experienced technical problems that limited their running time. Williams Racing faced data-related issues that prevented them from running smoothly for most of the session. As a result, Carlos Sainz was only able to get his car onto the track during the final 25 minutes of practice.
The situation was even more dramatic for rookie Arvid Lindblad driving for Racing Bulls. Just fifteen minutes into the session, Lindblad had to pull his car to the side of the track after smoke began emerging from the cockpit area, effectively ending his run very early.
Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team also endured a difficult outing. Both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll completed only limited laps due to ongoing reliability concerns, including a car that appeared to be shaking heavily during running. However, neither driver was forced to stop on the track, and both were able to record lap times. Given the team’s recent mechanical problems, this session could actually be considered one of their more stable outings of the season.
Another unusual moment involved Franco Colapinto of Alpine F1 Team. His car unexpectedly came to a halt in the pit lane for nearly a minute. Mechanics began running toward the stationary vehicle, preparing to intervene, but the car suddenly restarted and Colapinto drove away just before the crew reached him, creating a slightly humorous moment in an otherwise tense session.
Overall, the practice session highlighted both the potential and the challenges of the new 2026 regulations. While Mercedes appeared to have found a strong early advantage, several teams still faced reliability problems that could play a significant role as the race weekend continues in Shanghai.
About The Author
