How Chinese Grand Prix sprint qualifying unfolded

1. Norris takes sprint race pole, Hamilton 2nd, Alonso 3rd
2. Drivers struggle on slippery track
3. Russell out in second session; Albon out in first session with Alpines
4. Delays caused by small track fires
5. Sprint race on Saturday before qualifying for Sunday's grand prix
6. Stroll topped practice
7. Chinese Grand Prix returns for first time since 2019
8. Get involved #bbcf1

Here's the top 10 as things stand:

1) Verstappen (1:38.498)

2) Perez

3) Hulkenberg

4) Stroll

5) Alonso

6) Zhou

7) Ocon

8) Norris

9) Gasly

10) Magnussen

Just one person has not yet set a time - George Russell who only managed a couple of laps before the red flag appeared.

Go! Go! Go!

This isn't ideal for the teams given it is the only practice session they are going to get here so they will want as much on track time as possible.

Cars are heading back out now with that somewhat unusual red flag period over.

Red flag

The grass is smouldering before a marshal appears with a fire extinguisher to put it out completely.

Everyone is back in the pits while that is dealt with. The grass did look pretty dry so I'm guessing a spark from passing car set it off.

Grass on fire

Max Verstappen improves with a 1:38.498 BUT what's going on here? A patch of grass next to the circuit has caught fire! Strange one.

Haas come here sporting their first upgrades of the season and it is so far, so good for them as Nico Hulkenberg goes third quickest - two tenths off Max Verstappen's leading time of 1:39.110.

Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez is up into P2.

Get involved

Steve Lank: Here’s hoping that this first visit to China for a few years will shake things up a bit. Hoping for a first win for Lando!

Hamilton plans to race 'well into' his 40s

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Lewis Hamilton says he will join his old rival Fernando Alonso in racing in Formula 1 "well into my 40s".

Hamilton will be 40 next year when he starts his career with Ferrari, in what is at least a two-year commitment.

"I am not the oldest driver here. I am going to be racing for quite some time still so it is good [Alonso] is still around," Hamilton said.

"Fernando is one of the best drivers we've had in the sport so for him to continue to be here and continue to have the output he's had just shows what is possible. And shows the new era of athlete, what the human body can do and continue to do if you nurture it."

Max Verstappen improves with a 1:39.497 but Fernando Alonso is just 0.11s off moving into P1, leaping up to second in the standings with his time set on hard tyres.

Alonso signed a new deal at Aston Martin last week that will keep him racing until he is at least 45.

Lewis Hamilton is back at a track he has enjoyed great success at. He has won this race six times, including the last one here in 2019.

He's out on hard tyres but yet to set a representative time.

We're getting times on the board with everyone out now bar the Ferraris.

Max Verstappen tops the leaderboard in these early laps with a time of 1:39.497 - set on mediums.

Follow the Chinese Grand Prix on the BBC

There will be live radio commentary of the Chinese Grand Prix on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra (BBC Radio 5 Live for Sunday's race) and BBC Sounds, plus the BBC Sport website and app.

You can also listen and download the Chequered Flag podcast, which previews and reviews every race of the season, and F1: Back at Base, a podcast which goes behind the scenes at Mercedes and Williams, via BBC Sounds.

Commentary on practice is up and running now.

Zhou's long wait

The local fans have been desperate for this race to return and there are plenty in the stands for today's practice.

Sauber's Zhou Guanyu, China's first F1 race driver, is making his home debut in what will be his 49th career start.

An emotional moment for the 24-year-old, who is out on the track right now.

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Go! Go! Go!

Off we go with practice!

Cars are starting to make their way out onto the track.

First sprint race of 2024

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The first of six sprint weekends this season takes place here, but the format is slightly different to last year's events.

Qualifying for the shorter sprint race will now be held on Friday instead of Saturday, following the only practice session of the weekend.

The 100km sprint will then take place as the first track action on Saturday, ahead of main qualifying for the grand prix in its regular slot later in the day.

Sunday's race also remains unchanged.

The other five sprints weekend take place in Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar.

'Hopefully we don't have to finetune too much'

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"With the new cars, it will be a bit of an unknown," says world champion Max Verstappen, who heads into this weekend leading the drivers' championship by 13 points.

"From the track side, it looks like they have repainted it, rather than resurfaced it.

"I don't know what that does to the grip of the track, so that's something we have to get on top of.

"It's the same for everybody but we just have to have a good FP1 and hopefully we don't have to finetune too much with the car. That will help hit the ground running for the rest of the weekend."

Coming up today

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Good morning!

My word it is early. Anyway, hope you have helped yourself to a strong brew and settled in for today's action.

We have one hour of practice getting under way at 04:30 GMT and then it is qualifying for the first sprint race of the year at 08:30.

Friday's schedule:

First practice: 04:30-05:30

Sprint qualifying: 08:30-09:14

An element of the unknown

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A criticism levelled at Formula 1 in more recent years is that it can be all a bit too predictable, but for those craving unpredictably then this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix could deliver that.

Why? Well, this race returns after a five-year absence, the track has been resurfaced and this latest generation of cars have not been tested at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Chuck in that Saturday also sees the first sprint race of the season - with only one hour of practice for teams to get reacquainted with the circuit again - and we potentially have the ingredients for a surprise or two this weekend.