George Russell Takes Sprint Pole at 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes Locks Out Front Row

Shanghai, March 13, 2026: George Russell delivered a commanding performance in Sprint Qualifying for the 2026 FIA Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, securing pole position for the Sprint race ahead of his teammate Kimi Antonelli. The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team duo locked out the front row, underlining the team’s strong pace around the Shanghai circuit.

Russell set a best lap of 1:31.520 in SQ3, finishing nearly three-tenths of a second ahead of Antonelli, while reigning world champion Lando Norris secured third place for the McLaren Mastercard F1 Team, over six-tenths off Russell’s benchmark.

Early Drama Before Sprint Qualifying

Even before the session began, there was early drama as Sergio Pérez from the Cadillac Formula 1 Team was ruled out due to a technical issue, leaving him unable to participate in Sprint Qualifying.

When SQ1 began, Russell immediately set the pace with a lap of 1:33.030, finishing a tenth ahead of Lewis Hamilton of Scuderia Ferrari. Hamilton’s teammate Charles Leclerc slotted into third ahead of Antonelli, Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Meanwhile, the session proved challenging for Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing, who complained of “horrendous driveability” issues with his RB22. The four-time champion only progressed to SQ2 in 11th place, 1.8 seconds behind Russell’s leading time.

SQ1 Eliminations

Drivers eliminated in the first session included:

• Carlos Sainz – P17
• Alexander Albon – P18
• Fernando Alonso – P19
• Lance Stroll – P20
• Valtteri Bottas – P21

Russell Dominates SQ2

Russell maintained his strong pace in SQ2 with a 1:32.241 lap, again topping the timesheets ahead of Antonelli, who finished just 0.05 seconds behind his teammate. However, Antonelli was noted by stewards for allegedly impeding Norris, putting his result under post-session investigation.

Norris finished SQ2 in third, followed by Hamilton and Piastri.

Verstappen narrowly advanced to the final shootout after a mistake at the final corner during his last lap. The Dutchman progressed in ninth place, while his teammate Isack Hadjar also squeezed into SQ3.

SQ2 Eliminations

Drivers eliminated in SQ2 were:

• Nico Hülkenberg – P11
• Esteban Ocon – P12
• Liam Lawson – P13
• Gabriel Bortoleto – P14
• Arvid Lindblad – P15
• Franco Colapinto – P16

Russell Holds Off Antonelli in SQ3

In the final session, Russell’s 1:31.520 lap proved untouchable. Antonelli improved slightly on his final attempt but remained 0.289 seconds behind, ensuring a Mercedes front-row lockout.

Norris delivered a strong late lap to secure third place, ahead of Hamilton and Piastri. Leclerc finished sixth, followed by Pierre Gasly in seventh for BWT Alpine F1 Team.

Verstappen could only manage eighth, while Oliver Bearman and Hadjar completed the top ten.

2026 Chinese Grand Prix – Sprint Qualifying Results