F1 Chinese GP live commentary and updates - Qualifying
Follow updates for qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix after George Russell won the sprint race
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Hamilton: "It was a really tough qualifying, bit harder this one with the wind. So putting a lap together was a challenge. I'm really happy to be here and with these guys."
Russell: "Damage limitation. Just really happy to be standing here. It could've been much worse."
Antonelli: "Was a pretty clean session, so really happy. Was a really good session, no mistake and looking forward to the race tomorrow.
"I saw he had a issue, but I just tried to keep my focus and stay calm."
Kimi Antonelli becomes F1's youngest ever polesitter, a record previously held by Sebastian Vettel - kudos!
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
Photo by: Steven Tee / LAT Images via Getty Images
Russell makes it a Mercedes 1-2, but it still isn't enough - ANTONELLI POLE!
Brilliant from Gasly who goes sixth and above both Red Bulls.
Piastri fails to improve much, he's fourth.
This'll be a nervous wait for Kimi, as Russell will be last to cross the line.
Hamilton now takes second.
Leclerc improves, but only enough for second.
Norris fails to improve.
The Mercedes driver goes 0.258s quicker on his final lap, so that's exactly what he needed.
Purple middle sector for Kimi though, so great fight back.
Antonelli 0.010s slower in the opening sector, while Norris goes purple.
There he is, Russell leaves his garage with 2m15s left in the session. Cutting it fine.
Drivers are coming back out for their final lap of Q3, but no sign of Russell yet...
But could McLaren throw a surprise? Both of its drivers have gone ahead of the Ferraris, with Piastri currently joining Kimi on the front row.
Russell is back in the pits now, remains to be seen if he can set a laptime. As things stand, teenager Antonelli will become F1's youngest ever polesitter.
This presents a golden opportunity for Antonelli, who sets the early pace in Q3 with a 1m32.322s. Around three tenths quicker than second-placed Leclerc and six tenths above Hamilton in third.
He's got going again, but the engine certainly doesn't sound healthy.
"I cannot shift the gears," he says.
Uh-oh! Championship leader Russell has stopped on track at Turn 5 reporting various mechanical problems.
Time for the pole shootout.
It might be time to have a conversation about Ocon. His Haas boss Ayao Komatsu caused a stir in the off-season by saying the team expected more from the grand prix winner last year, in what was a frustrating debut campaign for Ocon at the American outfit.
What makes it worse is that towards the end, his younger team-mate Oliver Bearman started to get the better of him and that has continued into 2026. How does Ocon overturn this?
Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team
Photo by: Guido De Bortoli / LAT Images via Getty Images
So, those out in Q2 are:
11. Nico Hulkenberg
12. Franco Colapinto
13. Esteban Ocon
14. Liam Lawson
15. Arvid Lindblad
16. Gabriel Bortoleto
Green flag running returned in Q2 with 30 seconds remaining and it was all on Franco Colapinto to knock out Hadjar, but the Alpine driver could only muster 12th.
Hadjar got away with that one. It looks as though Bortoleto simply got too much kerb and spun sideways into the tyre barrier. Car doesn't look too damaged though.
Lucky, lucky Isack. Just after he set his lap, Gabriel Bortoleto went off at the final corner, thus causing a double waved yellow flag in the last sector.
Drivers, including Arvid Lindblad, had to back off.
That should be enough for Piastri who has moved up to sixth on his recent lap, but Hadjar is looking ropey as he remains 10th.
Everybody has a set lap now, and it's nerve-wracking times for Isack Hadjar and Oscar Piastri who are both on the edge.
Nico Hulkenberg, Esteban Ocon, Franco Colapinto, Liam Lawson, Arvid Lindblad and Gabriel Bortoleto.
While there were split strategies at the start of Q1, that isn't the case in Q2 with all drivers on the softs.
Back for Q2!
James Vowles: "It was a good lap Carlos. That was all the car has in it."
Poor, poor Williams. This is not how it was expected to go. For years it'd talked about mastering the 2026 regulation change and 12 months ago, things were looking positive having enjoyed a strong start to 2025.
But here we are. No points at the Melbourne opener and it'll take something special to score at least something in Shanghai.
Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing, Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Dom Gibbons / Formula 1 via Getty Images
"Terrible", reacts a loud, angry Alex Albon.
Yep, pretty much as expected with Williams, Cadillac and Aston all out in Q1:
17. Carlos Sainz
18. Alex Albon
19. Fernando Alonso
20. Valtteri Bottas
21. Lance Stroll
22. Sergio Perez
There we are, that should be enough as a purple final sector pushes Verstappen up to fourth. Hadjar is also out of trouble in eighth.
But going back to the split tyre choices at the start of Q1. Verstappen has now switched to softs with him facing the prospect of an early exit.
The four-time world champion is 15th, one spot behind team-mate Isack Hadjar.
Update: It wasn't and Lindblad is currently on his outlap with two minutes remaining.
The Briton is 16th, one spot above the drop zone which is currently occupied by each driver from Williams, Cadillac and Aston Martin.
By: Ed Hardy
