Breaking: Lewis Hamilton gets DREAM Chinese Grand Prix start but Mercedes D…read more

Lewis Hamilton gets DREAM Chinese Grand Prix start but Mercedes D…read more

A dramatic opening sequence at the Chinese Grand Prix delivered immediate excitement as Lewis Hamilton enjoyed a dream launch for Scuderia Ferrari, briefly seizing control of the race before Mercedes‑AMG Petronas Formula One Team fought back to reclaim the advantage.

When the lights went out at the Shanghai International Circuit, Hamilton produced a trademark start reminiscent of his championship-winning years. The seven-time world champion reacted instantly off the line, launching his Ferrari ahead of the Mercedes cars and charging into the opening corner to grab the early lead.

Behind him, Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc also made an impressive getaway. Leclerc managed to slip past polesitter Kimi Antonelli to move into second place. Meanwhile, Mercedes driver George Russell lost ground during the opening exchanges and dropped down to fourth position as the field settled into the first lap.

However, the Mercedes duo quickly regrouped and began to mount a response. On lap two, Antonelli demonstrated the pace of the Silver Arrows machine by attacking Hamilton. The young Italian successfully reclaimed the lead after passing the Ferrari driver, restoring Mercedes to the front of the race.

At the same time, Russell also began working his way back through the order. The British driver regained a position from Leclerc, moving up to third and positioning himself to challenge the front-runners.

The momentum continued to swing in Mercedes’ favor just two laps later. At the start of lap four, Russell used superior straight-line speed from his Mercedes power unit to surge past Hamilton on the start-finish straight. The move promoted Russell into second place and set him off in pursuit of his teammate Antonelli, who remained out in front.

While the battle at the front intensified, the race quickly turned into a nightmare for Red Bull Racing. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen suffered a disastrous start, dropping dramatically through the field and falling as low as 14th place in the early stages.

Further drama unfolded when rookie Isack Hadjar spun off during a fierce battle with Oliver Bearman of Haas F1 Team. The incident forced Hadjar to pit at the end of the opening lap, effectively ending any hopes of a competitive result.

Even before the race began, the weekend had already been filled with setbacks. Four drivers ultimately failed to take the start after encountering issues prior to the formation lap. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Gabriel Bortoleto, and Alexander Albon were all forced to return to the pit lane.

Both cars from McLaren Formula 1 Team failed to make it onto the grid. Norris was unable to leave the pit lane in time before it closed due to an electrical issue, while Piastri was pushed back into the garage just minutes before the start. It marked the second race of the season in which Piastri failed to begin a Grand Prix.

The team later confirmed that the problems affecting both McLarens were unrelated electrical faults linked to their Mercedes power unit. Meanwhile, Bortoleto’s Audi Formula One Team machine also encountered difficulties, and Albon’s Williams Racing car was sidelined after engineers detected a hydraulic failure.

With chaos unfolding both before and during the opening laps, the Chinese Grand Prix quickly turned into one of the most unpredictable and action-packed starts of the Formula One season.