China sprint race adds more intrigue to an already dramatic start to new F1 season

The most intriguing Formula 1 season in recent memory got off to a spectacular start at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne last week, with 120 overtakes and a thrilling tussle for the lead over multiple laps between eventual winner Mercedes’ George Russell and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who finished third.

While F1 has been presenting last Sunday’s race as a triumph, the drivers are divided as to whether the new rules create “incredible” racing or “probably the worst” cars in F1 history.

Russell and teammate Kimi Antonelli, who called the action “incredible,” are the new cars’ biggest cheerleaders after finishing first and second, but Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who finished fourth, is upbeat too after suggesting in preseason the rules might be too complex for fans to follow.

Complex or not, the seven-time world champion’s teammate Leclerc believes the new rules have been drafted to reward a different skill set. “Before, it was more about who is the bravest at braking the latest,” said the Monegasque driver. “Now there’s a bit more of a strategic mind behind every move you make because every boost button activation, you know you’re going to pay the price big time after that.”

And while the opening race mixed a dramatic battle for the lead with some intricate strategy, this week’s Chinese Grand Prix could be very different, especially since it will have the added mystery of a sprint race. The Shanghai International Circuit, unlike the Albert Park track in Melbourne, has a long straight for electrical power boosts and heavy braking zones to recharge the battery.

It’s just the sort of circuit the new cars were designed for and will require a different approach to battery deployment and energy harvesting in the new cars, which have a 50-50 split between conventional and electrical power.

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But with only one practice session before sprint qualifying on Friday, the teams will have little time to hone their set-ups and strategies. Saturday morning will see the sprint race over 19 laps of the 5.451km circuit and grand prix qualifying in the afternoon. Sunday’s grand prix will be over 56 laps, and if the race in Melbourne is anything to go by, it should be very eventful.

“Shanghai is going to be important to be straight on point with deployment, with everything, because obviously we get only one practice and then we go into qualifying,” said Antonelli.

“The rate of development is going to be massive and it’s going to be important to not put any wrong step because the situation can flip very quickly.”

Leclerc agreed: “To have a sprint race so early on in a season like this will be a huge challenge for everybody. It’s going to be very tricky.”

Race-winner Russell said his only reservation about the 2026 cars was a lack of control when the active front wing was opened up under the new “straight mode”.

Introduced this season to reduce drag and give a boost of speed akin to the now-defunct DRS system, Russell said it made the cars skittish.

“The only thing I would request from the FIA is that the front wing doesn’t drop as aggressively,” said Russell.

“When we open ‘straight mode’ we will have lots of understeer, and when I was behind Charles and I was trying to duck out of his slipstream it was like my front wing wasn’t working.

“So, I think from a safety aspect that would make the racing safer, better. I don’t see a downside of doing it.”

McLaren’s Lando Norris, who was off the pace all weekend in Australia and eventually finished fifth, is definitely not one of the happy drivers. “The gap to the guys ahead is pretty big and we clearly have a lot of work to do,” said the world champion.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, despite his stirring drive from 20th to 6th, admitted Red Bull also have problems to address.

“I had some issues at the start with the battery so as soon as the clutch was dropped, I had no power, so that is something we need to understand,” said the Dutchman, who on Thursday joked he was “practising with Mario Kart” because it was more realistic than his simulator.

The four-time world champion has been a strong critic of the new cars in preseason and now Norris has also joined him. “We’ve come from the best cars ever made in Formula 1, and the nicest to drive, to probably the worst,” said the McLaren driver.

Russell hit back at Norris’ criticism. “If he was winning, I don’t think he’d be saying the same,” said the Mercedes driver. Ironically, both cars use Mercedes engines.

The war of words has so far been matched by the battle on track and the Chinese Grand Prix definitely promises more fireworks this week.