In the qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix Mercedes secured both poles. Antonelli claimed the front‑row spot with a best lap of 1 :32.064 in Shanghai, leaving his teammate Russell a short 0.222 seconds back in second place. The Ferraris rounded out the top four, while the McLaren drivers filled the remaining positions in the second row.
Qualifying began with an impressive performance from Russell, who initially set the pace. A mechanical issue later forced him into the garage, allowing Antonelli to capitalize and set the fastest time. Despite fresh tires, the Ferraris could not catch Antonelli’s lap. Toward the end, a yellow flag was shown after Bortoleto made a driving error, limiting any further improvements. Nevertheless, Mercedes demonstrated a strong team effort and entered Sunday’s race as the favorite.
Before the main race, Russell had already proven his pace in the China sprint, handing Mercedes another victory. The Briton managed to beat the Ferrari contest, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton taking second and third. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, following a 10‑second penalty, finished fifth, while Lando Norris secured fourth for McLaren. Max Verstappen’s race ended disappointingly, placing him ninth outside the points.
The race start was chaotic, particularly for Antonelli, who dropped from his second‑grid spot. Russell initially defended the lead but was overtaken by Hamilton in the middle section. Hamilton briefly regained the front before Russell retook it on the long straight. A collision between Antonelli and Isack Hadjar resulted in a penalty for the Italian driver. Rookie Arvid Lindblad spun in corner 11, falling to the back of the field.
As the race progressed, a fierce battle developed for the lead between Russell and the Ferraris. Hamilton and Leclerc applied pressure on the Mercedes driver, yet Russell maintained his advantage. A safety‑car deployment after Nico Hülkenberg’s retirement added extra drama. At the restart, Leclerc lost contact with Russell, ultimately cementing the Briton’s victory.
After the race, Max Verstappen expressed frustration, citing numerous issues that led to his ninth‑place finish. He blamed a poor start and an uncontrollable balance in his car for the result.