Melbourne was an intense first race weekend under these new regulations and one that delivered plenty of excitement. As always with a big change, there are things to tweak and improve, and some negativity to overcome, but that’s a normal part of the process and it’s important we listen to the fans and understand what’s important to them. There was plenty of racing through the field with drivers being challenged to get the most out of their cars. As teams gain knowledge and the field converges, I am confident that will only get better too. Our focus is on doing the work required to be in that fight.
We faced several challenges in Australia, which was to be expected with such new cars. The team handled them well and overcame them to deliver the result we wanted. We came away with many learnings and areas to improve, which we will look to do in China. As it is a Sprint weekend with just one hour of practice, it is going to be even more difficult to get the car in a good place before the first competitive session. We saw a close fight at the front with Ferrari last weekend, and several other teams who haven’t shown their full potential yet, so we know we are in for a real battle.
Hopefully as a sport we can put on another good show this weekend. F1 continues to go from strength-to-strength around the world, and China is no exception. We’ve seen brilliant crowds and huge interest since we returned to Shanghai in 2024. It is an important country for both our sport and Mercedes as an automotive manufacturer and we look forward to racing there for many years to come.
Third Driver Insights
The Chinese Grand Prix will be a fascinating one! It’s a very different circuit layout from Melbourne and tackling it within the challenge of a Sprint Race weekend only adds to the excitement.
With just one practice session before qualifying, every lap becomes crucial, and that makes my role even more important in helping George and Kimi arrive as prepared and confident as possible.
Shanghai is an incredible circuit — fast‑flowing corners, high‑speed sections, and a layout that really encourages overtaking and strategic racing. It’s a place where small details can make a big difference, and that’s exactly the kind of environment we love working in.
Payton Talks China
I’m really looking forward to heading to the Chinese Grand Prix for the first time and beginning the F1 Academy season. Shanghai is an incredible circuit with a great combination of technical corners and long straights, which always makes for exciting racing.
The team has been working extremely hard, and we’ve made some encouraging progress recently, so I’m excited to get out on track and see what we can deliver. The aim is to keep building momentum and put in a strong performance.
Did you know?
- Shanghai International Circuit holds special memories for our team, having been the site of our first win since returning to the sport when Nico Rosberg triumphed in 2012.
- Our first F1 pole in the modern era also came at the track in 2012.
- In 2005, the circuit hosted the season finale for the one and only time.
- The first seven Chinese Grand Prix were all won by different drivers.
- Mercedes claimed six consecutive pole positions at the track between 2012 and 2017.
- In 2019, the track hosted the 1,000th F1 Grand Prix race, known as F1000.
- Shanghai will once again host the first F1 Sprint race weekend of the season in 2026, having also done so in 2024 and 2025.
- In 2025, George’s P3 finish was the 300th podium for Mercedes as a works team in F1.
- For 2026, China will host the first round of the F1 ACADEMY season. Mercedes Driver Payton Westcott will represent the team in the series for the first time.
2026 Chinese Grand Prix | |||
Session | Local Time (CST) | Brackley (GMT) | Stuttgart (CET) |
Practice One – Friday | 11:30 – 12:30 | 03:30 – 04:30 | 04:30 – 05:30 |
Sprint Qualifying - Friday | 15:30 – 16:14 | 07:30 – 08:14 | 08:30 – 09:14 |
Sprint Race - Saturday | 11:00 – 12:00 | 03:00 – 04:00 | 04:00 – 05:00 |
Qualifying – Saturday | 15:00 – 16:00 | 07:00 – 08:00 | 08:00 – 09:00 |
Grand Prix - Sunday | 15:00 | 07:00 | 08:00 |
Circuit Characteristics | |
Circuit Length | 5.451 km |
Race Laps | 56 |
Race Distance | 305 km |
Number of Corners | 16 (7 L / 9 R) |
Distance from Pole to First Braking Zone | 290m |
Pole Position Side | Left |
Pit Lane Length Under Speed Limit Control | 384m |
Drive-Through Time at 80 km/h | 17s |
Braking Events (>2G) | 6 |
Heavy Braking Events (<0.4s @ >4G) | 3 |
Braking Energy | Medium |
Top Speed | 335 km/h (expected) |
Race Lap Record | 1:32:2 (SCH, 2004) |
Absolute Lap Record | 1:30.6 (PIA, Q3, 2025) |
Race Characteristics (2018 – 2019 & 2022 - 2025) | |||
Safety Car Probability | 60% | Average Track Temperature | 34.7°C |
Average Ambient Temperature | 23.5°C | Maximum Track Temperature | 44.9°C |
Maximum Ambient Temperature | 30.2°C | Wet Session Probability | 7% |
Race Records - Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team in China | |||||||
| Starts | Wins | Podiums | Pole Positions | Front row places | Fastest laps | DNF |
Mercedes | 12 | 6 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 2 |
George Russell | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Kimi Antonelli | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
MB Power | 18 | 10 | 25 | 10 | 16 | 10 | 12 |
Mercedes-Benz in Formula One | ||||||||
| Starts | Wins | Podium Places | Pole Positions | Front Row Places | Fastest Laps | 1-2 Finishes | Front-Row Lockouts |
Mercedes (all-time) | 342 | 132 | 312 | 144 | 273 | 114 | 61 | 85 |
Mercedes (since 2010) | 333 | 123 | 295 | 136 | 253 | 105 | 56 | 81 |
George Russell | 153 | 6 | 25 | 8 | 18 | 11 | N/A | N/A |
Kimi Antonelli | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 3 | N/A | N/A |
MB Power | 612 | 240 | 667 | 249 | 243 | 104 | 105 | 132 |
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