Summary

  • Piastri takes first ever Grand Prix pole, Russell 2nd, Norris 3rd

  • Red Bull's Lawson out in first session; Aston Martin's Alonso out in second

  • Hamilton wins sprint race, Piastri 2nd, Verstappen 3rd

  • Get involved #bbcf1, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

  • Sprint race weekends explained

Live Reporting

Lorraine McKenna

  1. 'Nothing like it'

    Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    [On Turn One] There is nothing else like it on the calendar, it's certainly challenging. You will see some different lines through there, we saw in sprint qualifying just how tricky that corner is when the car is loaded up.

  2. Weather update

    Ian Fergusson
    BBC weather forecaster

    Air temperature is 22.4C and the track 35.2C. Wind from the SW, gusting to 19mph in the past hour.

    Dry and sunny; FIA official risk of rain is zero and likewise later for qualifying.

  3. No team is gambling on starting on a soft tyre - medium compounds for the whole field.

  4. Formation lap

    Lewis Hamilton started second and finished second in China last year; Max Verstappen lined up in fourth and went on to win the race.

  5. McLaren and Mercedes level

    In the constructors' championship, title winners McLaren began their defence with a win in Australia and are level on points with Mercedes after the opening round. Williams and Sauber have started off on a positive note and are both above Ferrari, who are seventh.

    Constructors' standingsGetty Images/BBC Sport

  6. Norris on top

    The points on offer in the sprint race may only be small but they could make a big difference if the season is to be as close as predicted. Lando Norris leads the standings after one race followed by defending champion Max Verstappen - who is aiming for a record-equalling fifth straight drivers' title - and Mercedes' George Russell.

    Top 10 driversGetty Images/BBC Sport

  7. What are the Chinese GP tyres?

    Lewis HamiltonGetty Images

    The 5.451km Shanghai International Circuit has been completely resurfaced before the 2025 event and during yesterday's running, drivers fed back the track felt a lot grippier compared to previous years.

    Pirelli has opted to bring the same compounds as last season, so teams have the C3 (white, hard), C3 (yellow, medium) and C4 (red, soft) to play with.

    It was another tough qualifying session for Liam Lawson, who was knocked out in SQ1 and said he struggled to bring down the temperature of his medium tyres on his out lap.

  8. How does the F1 sprint format work?

    The format was tweaked in 2024 and remains the same for this season.

    Qualifying for the 100km sprint races took place yesterday following the only practice session of the weekend.

    Today, the shorter race, which is 19 laps long, is held as the track's opening action, before qualifying for the main grand prix later this morning (or afternoon in Shanghai).

    Points are awarded for drivers finishing from first to eighth in the sprint race.

  9. Chequered Flag podcast: Chinese GP preview

    Chequered Flag podcast

    Harry Benjamin is joined by British racing driver Alice Powell and the BBC’s F1 correspondent Andrew Benson to react to sprint qualifying in China, plus look ahead to the weekend’s action.

    The team hear from sprint polesitter Lewis Hamilton, as well as McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

    Have a listen on BBC Sounds here

  10. Can Hamilton hold off Verstappen?

    Max Verstappen holds up a sprint race winner's medal in ShanghaiGetty Images

    Lewis Hamilton is still getting to grips with his new Ferrari surroundings, so today's test of keeping sprint king Max Verstappen (and a quick McLaren) will be a tough one, even if the Dutchman doesn't have the quickest car so far this season.

    Verstappen has dominated the format since its introduction in 2021, winning 11 of the 18 events that have taken place, including six in a row from the United States Grand Prix in 2023 to the same race in 2024.

  11. Hamilton 'gobsmacked' after sprint pole

    Hamilton 'can't believe' he's in pole for China sprint race

    The main event is yet to come but after a difficult first outing in Melbourne last weekend, Lewis Hamilton said he was "gobsmacked" after taking pole position for the China sprint race today.

    Hamilton put his Ferrari 0.018 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen with a new Shanghai lap record of 1:30.849.

    "I’m a bit taken aback by it," said the seven-time world champion. "I didn’t know when we would get to this position."

    Hamilton added the McLarens "are very, very fast, as is Max", but he is hoping to hold on to that P1 spot and bing home his first victory for the Scuderia.

  12. Good morning

    Lando Norris celebrates taking sprint pole in Shanghai with his dad, AnthonyEPA

    Hello, folks. Nothing like a 19-lap sprint race at 03:00 in the morning to get the blood flowing.

    Lewis Hamilton secured his first pole position for Ferrari with a front-row spot for today's shorter dash, beating old rival Max Verstappen and the McLaren of Oscar Piastri. His team-mate Charles Leclerc will start fourth, while championship leader Lando Norris has work to do down in sixth.

    Lights out for the 100km sprint are at 03:00 GMT.

    Qualifying for tomorrow’s main race gets under way at 07:00 GMT.

    Commentary is available on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sounds, at the top of this page using the 'listen live' tab and via most smart speakers by asking BBC Sounds to play the Chinese Grand Prix followed by the current session.

    Good morning to Harry Benjamin, (McLaren Formula E driver Sam Bird and F1 correspondent Andrew Benson.