Lewis Hamilton scored his first podium for Ferrari at the Chinese GP, declaring he is mentally and physically "back to my best." He credited an intense winter training reset and improved collaboration with the team for the resurgence, though acknowledged Ferrari must find significant performance to catch Mercedes and target a race win.
Max Verstappen has intensified his attack on F1's 2026 regulations, calling the racing "terrible" and akin to "Mario Kart." He argues the energy-based overtaking is artificial and fails to improve the true competitive order, warning that prioritizing spectacle over pure sport risks damaging F1's long-term future.
Kimi Antonelli took his maiden F1 victory in China, but the podium announcer famously flubbed his name, calling him "Kimi Raikkonen." Mercedes boss Toto Wolff swiftly dampened any resulting championship hype, stressing the rookie's need for a pressure-free development path despite the team's clear winning pace.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur revealed his anxiety as Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton battled wheel-to-wheel for the podium in China, a fight Hamilton won to score his first top-three finish for the Scuderia. The intense duel tested the new teammate dynamic, with both drivers praising the fair but hard combat, highlighting the challenges and excitement of managing two top talents in one team.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden F1 victory in China, overcoming a late-race error that nearly cost him the win. The 19-year-old held his nerve after a dramatic lock-up to secure the win ahead of teammate George Russell, marking a historic day for the young Italian and a crucial 1-2 finish for the Mercedes team.
Fernando Alonso retired from the Chinese GP due to severe vibrations in his Aston Martin, forcing him to remove his hands from the wheel. Team boss Mike Krack called it a "discomfort" the team is urgently working to solve, as Alonso compared the situation to his difficult McLaren-Honda past.
Lewis Hamilton claimed his first Ferrari podium by finishing third at the Chinese Grand Prix after a thrilling, clean fight with teammate Charles Leclerc that featured a moment of light contact, which Hamilton called a 'kiss'. The race, won by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli, demonstrated the exciting racing potential of the 2026 cars.
Audi F1 boss Jonathan Wheatley has challenged Max Verstappen's fierce criticism of 'false racing' under new rules, suggesting the champion's view is skewed by Red Bull's current struggles. Wheatley pointed to the clean Ferrari battle in Spain as proof of good racing, while Verstappen maintains the overtaking mechanics are artificial and ruin the sport's integrity.
Kimi Antonelli took his first F1 win at the 2026 Chinese GP, with Lewis Hamilton scoring Ferrari's first podium of the season. The race highlighted Mercedes' dominant pace but also Ferrari's potential to disrupt, as Antonelli's emotional victory marked a major career milestone.
Max Verstappen has unleashed his strongest criticism to date against Formula 1's planned 2026 regulations, labeling the resulting racing product as "terrible" and akin to "Playing Mario Kart." Following a tough Chinese GP, the Red Bull driver argues the energy-dependent overtaking is artificial and flawed, appealing to casual fans over purists, and insists the sport's leadership made a mistake not heeding earlier warnings.
Kimi Antonelli took a stunning maiden F1 victory in China, but Mercedes boss Toto Wolff quickly tempered talk of a title challenge, urging patience for the young Italian's development. Antonelli celebrated the win but acknowledged the long season ahead and the challenge of competing with teammate George Russell.
Rookie Kimi Antonelli won his first F1 race for Mercedes in a chaotic Chinese GP, leading a 1-2 finish. The race saw a multi-car crash before the start, eliminating both McLarens, while Max Verstappen also retired. The result dramatically shakes up the early season order.
