ROUND 2: 🇨🇳 China
FORMULA 1 HEINEKEN CHINESE GRAND PRIX 2026
Weekend Schedule
Click here to view the schedule in your local timezone
- Practice 1: Friday, 04:30 CET | 03:30 UTC
- Sprint Qualifying: Friday, 08:30 CET | 07:30 UTC
- Sprint: Saturday, 04:00 CET | 03:00 UTC
- Qualifying: Saturday, 08:00 CET | 07:00 UTC
- Race: Sunday, 08:00 CEST | 07:00 UTC
Circuit stats & Tyres
- First Grand Prix: 2004
- Number of laps: 56
- Circuit Length: 5.451 km
- Race Distance: 305.066 km
- Lap record: 1:32.238 Michael Schumacher (2004)
- 2025 Pole: Oscar Piastri (1:30.641)
- 2025 Fastest Lap: Lando Norris (1:35.454)
- 2025 winner: Oscar Piastri
- Pirelli Tyres: C2 (Hard) ⚪, C3 (Medium) 🟡, C4 (Soft) 🔴
Track Map
Very happy for Kimi!
Ferrari dingdong was fun to watch.
But as I guessed, the script of the year seems to be; blindingly good start from the Ferraris, first 5 to 10 laps is yoyo racing and then the Mercedes buggers off into the distance. I have watched since the mid -90’s, I’ve never complained about the cars but I just don’t like these new ones. I don’t care if there’s a 1000 overtakes in a race, if its done by pressing a button and flying past on the straight, its not very interesting or exciting.
Alonso waving at the Cadillac was funny.
Are we completely ignoring stuff like the 6 man battle between both Alpines, both Haases and Max and Hulk then? There was plenty “classic” racing going on today too with outbraking, choosing different lines etc.
Also, “pressing a button and flying by on a straight” sounds like a description of DRS to me, but maybe because that was not electric it was organic, grass-fed, natural and great?
Maybe my comment was a bit harsh and unclear. Which it probably was.
Anyway, I didn’t mean to say there wasn’t great action going on. The midfield battles were fun to watch. But the Mercs doing that Captain America running past the other guy meme is what I meant with pressing a button. It just looks and feels so… fake, you know? The other guy clipping while the other guy is accelerating past you. Feels weird.
I didn’t like DRS either, for what its worth.
I thought the racing today was just great full stop. The battle between the Ferraris was awesome too - lots of alternate lines, smart positioning and clever battery usage from Lewis. Mercedes are just the best car, not much you can do about that. Remember Max in '23?
In general I find these regs much better than previous years. I was about to go on a tirade about it but I think just watch the latest lowerlaptime video, he talks about it at the end and I really like his take.
That’s fine, you are allowed to like the racing this season. I don’t have anything against that :D I’m happy that you are enjoying!
I’m just a grumpy old bastard shaking his fist at the sky, nevermind me :)