The 2026 Formula One season kicked off in Melbourne last weekend. After an action-packed race Down Under that got the new regulations era going, the grid heads to Shanghai for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, where teams will also prepare for the first Sprint weekend of the season.
For the 2026 F1 Chinese Grand Prix, here we present our preview and predictions.
We might be just one race into the season, but it won’t be a far-fetched statement to make if one calls Mercedes the sure-shot title favourites and a cut above the rest. Throughout the pre-season tests, everyone else was wary of the Silver Arrows’ pace, and in Melbourne those fears came true.
George Russell picked up a strong pole on Saturday, and despite both Mercedes drivers having a poor start on Sunday, it wasn’t hard for them to charge back to the top. The only time the Mercedes cars were truly challenged in Melbourne was on the opening couple of laps, as Charles Leclerc’s SF-26 stole the lead off the line. After a tight scrap in the opening couple of laps, however, once Russell retook the lead of the race, there was no catching him. Ferrari shot themselves in the foot with a bold call to keep both cars out under the Virtual Safety Car (VSC), and even with his one-stop race, Russell proved uncatchable.
While Russell stormed ahead, his teammate Kimi Antonelli also had a rough start and slipped down to P8 within the opening couple of corners. Just like Russell, though, Antonelli charged through and handed Mercedes a comfortable 1-2, with Leclerc in third finishing 15 seconds behind Russell and almost three seconds behind the young Italian.
If we know one thing for sure, it is that Mercedes are the clear favourites this season, and it will take something special from the remaining teams to catch up to them. Ferrari seem like the closest to Mercedes, and in China we may see the first signs of the order the grid will settle into this year. We expect the leaders to be Mercedes and Ferrari, followed by a close battle between McLaren and Red Bull.
Pole prediction: George Russell / Lewis Hamilton
Race winners prediction: Mercedes / Ferrari
While Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull are locked in as the front four, the opening race also gave us a glimpse of who the contenders are for the “best of the rest” title. Those fighting to be up there for the big points haul were the likes of Williams, Alpine, and Racing Bulls, but only one of these three teams had a strong opening race.
Sister outfits Racing Bulls and Red Bull Racing were the only two teams using the new Red Bull power unit, and all eyes were on the two teams to see how the new engine would function. Racing Bulls also had an F1 debutant in Arvid Lindblad.
The new Red Bull power unit had a strong debut, with Racing Bulls making a double Q3 appearance on Saturday as both Liam Lawson and Lindblad made the top ten in qualifying. While Lawson dropped down the field on Sunday, his rookie teammate had an incredible debut.
Lindblad was right on the pace from the get-go, getting an incredible launch and even moving up to P3 on the opening lap. While he wasn’t able to keep up with the Mercedes and Ferrari cars, he made sure he kept his car in the points throughout and managed to take home four of them with a stellar P8 finish.
The 18-year-old had a strong debut, but more importantly, the new Red Bull power unit has shown promise and looks like one that can help Racing Bulls make a serious case for themselves as the best of the rest this year. With this being a Sprint weekend, Racing Bulls have the chance to pick up some additional points and get ahead in the midfield battle early on in the season.
Dark Horses: Racing Bulls
While rookie racer Arvid Lindblad had a strong debut at Albert Park, there was another new face on the grid, as Cadillac made their Formula One debut as a team. The American team have gone with one of the most experienced driver line-ups on the grid to kick off their F1 journey.
With two veterans in Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez driving the MAC-26 with a strong Ferrari power unit, Cadillac didn’t have the debut they wished for. Neither driver was able to get out of Q3, with both finishing as two of the slowest drivers on the grid among those who had set times.
Bottas started P19, while Pérez was a spot above him in P18. Starting at the back of the field, their task was cut out, and while their race pace didn’t seem promising, Bottas’ race ended on Lap 19 due to a mechanical issue. Pérez, meanwhile, was able to complete the race, though he never threatened for points and finished P16.
While they are a new team, and are only one race old, a point-less race won’t be the end of the world for Cadillac. That said, not being able to even come close to the points places would disappoint them, especially given they have a promising Ferrari engine.
We don’t expect Cadillac to fight for points regularly this season, but the team have plenty of experience in their ranks, be it on the track or in the garage, and should at least be on the fringes of the points places.
Circuit: Shanghai International Circuit
Venue: Jiading, Shanghai, China
Practice Session 1 time: 09:00 IST, March 13, 2026
Sprint Qualifying time: 13:00–13:44 IST, March 13, 2026
Sprint time: 08:30–09:30 IST, March 14, 2026
Qualifying time: 12:30 IST, March 14, 2026
Main race time: 12:30 IST, March 15, 2026
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
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