Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli made history by taking his first F1 pole position at the 2026 Chinese GP, becoming the youngest-ever pole-sitter. He beat teammate George Russell, who faced reliability issues, to secure a Mercedes front-row lockout, with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc on the second row.
Mercedes protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli, aged 19, became the youngest polesitter in F1 history by taking his first pole in China, breaking Sebastian Vettel's long-standing record. He led a Mercedes 1-2 ahead of the Ferraris, while Max Verstappen and Red Bull struggled down in eighth.
Qualifying for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix delivered a major surprise, with a new contender taking pole position and challenging F1's established hierarchy. The session offered the first true glimpse of which teams have best adapted to the sport's latest technical revolution, setting the stage for a potentially wide-open championship battle.
Mercedes dominates qualifying in China with a front-row lockout, but polesitter Kimi Antonelli and teammate George Russell are openly concerned about the threat from Ferrari starting behind them. The Scuderia's known strengths in race starts and cold-tire performance promise to make the opening laps a critical battle that could decide the Grand Prix.
Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli made history in China by becoming F1's youngest-ever pole-sitter at 19. He broke Sebastian Vettel's long-standing record and credited his success to maintaining calmness after teammate George Russell faced issues in qualifying.
Mercedes protege Kimi Antonelli, aged 19, made Formula 1 history by becoming the youngest-ever pole-sitter at the Chinese Grand Prix. He led a Mercedes 1-2, though teammate George Russell secured second despite dramatic mechanical issues in the final session. The Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc line up third and fourth, setting the stage for a tense battle at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli, aged 19, broke Sebastian Vettel's record to become Formula 1's youngest-ever pole-sitter at the Chinese GP. He led a Mercedes front-row lockout, with teammate George Russell second despite a technical issue in qualifying. Lewis Hamilton qualified third, while Max Verstappen struggled to eighth.
Toto Wolff says Mercedes fixed George Russell's stalled car in Chinese GP qualifying by power-cycling it "like an iPhone," but the issue cost him a shot at pole. The session was instead won by Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, who became the youngest driver ever to take a Grand Prix pole position.
Audi has swapped the engines on both its F1 cars as a precaution after Nico Hülkenberg's retirement from the Chinese GP Sprint race. The failure triggered a Safety Car and forced the team into the major change ahead of qualifying, adding to a reliability-focused start to their debut season.
F1's Chinese GP weekend continues with traditional qualifying to set the grid for Sunday's race. Following the Sprint and a short adjustment period, drivers competed for position under updated session timings, with track evolution and tire strategy playing key roles in the outcome.
George Russell won a chaotic F1 Sprint in China, surviving a late Safety Car and constant pressure from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Lewis Hamilton completed the podium in third, while a terrible start left Max Verstappen recovering to only ninth place.
Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli made Formula 1 history by becoming the youngest-ever polesitter at the Chinese Grand Prix. The 19-year-old led a Mercedes 1-2-3 in qualifying, with George Russell second and Lewis Hamilton third, while Max Verstappen struggled to eighth.
