Chinese GP: First victory for Antonelli, first podium with Ferrari for Hamilton

A day of firsts in Shanghai! Kimi Antonelli achieved his first victory in Formula 1 the day after securing his first pole position, the Italian converted his starting position into a victory, never faltering or being threatened. At 19, he thus becomes the second youngest winner in F1 history, behind Max Verstappen, victorious at 18 years old in 2016.

ANTONELLI WINS HIS FIRST FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX 👏🏆

What a performance from the Italian, who finished ahead of Russell and Hamilton, for the first time on a podium with Classic Ferrari for sale !

"Come on my son" on the radio 🥹 #ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/MXNcVkpJNl

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 15, 2026

Behind them, the battle for the podium was superb: George Russell, overtaken by both Ferraris at the start, had to fight for two-thirds of the race with the two SF-26s before finally finding an opening and pulling away to second place. He left Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton fought like devils until just over 10 laps from the finish, where the Briton made the difference. "It's a pretty fun battle" »"That's great," Charles Leclerc exclaimed over the radio. While the Ferrari pit wall certainly sweated during a few exchanges, the two drivers engaged in a tough but fair battle, without ever colliding.

Sunday morning's entertainment is brought to you by Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton 🍿🤩#ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/dSpqzPbe4d

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 15, 2026

The Ferraris put on a show

However, there was contact between the Haas byEsteban Ocon and Alpine Franco Colapinto. While the Frenchman was attempting to recover on an alternative strategy, he collided with the Argentinian who was exiting the pits in the first corner. A shame for both, who were second and third after the safety car was deployed for a pit stop. Lance stroll.

The clash between Esteban Ocon and Franco Colapinto at the Argentinian's exit 😱💥#ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/uGF9vTqNbn

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 15, 2026

This Safety Car allowed the leaders to make their only pit stop, while Ocon and Colapinto tried to stay out on track with the hard tires they had been using since the start. A strategy that ultimately didn't pay off for the Frenchman, but the Argentinian, finishing 10th, finally scored his first point with AlpineThis is a double points haul for the French thanks to Pierre Gasly, brilliant 6th. The Norman driver came back on Oliver Bearman at the end of the race, but it is indeed the Briton who makes it into the top 5 after a superb performance, where he managed to keep Max Verstappen, his closest pursuer for a long time, at bay.

Red Bull and McLaren's struggles benefit Haas and Alpine

But on lap 47, the Dutchman suffered a mechanical problem and had to slowly return to the pits to retire. The race had already started very badly for Verstappen, who was stuck at the start and relegated to the back of the pack. It wasn't a particularly positive day for him. Red Bull Isack Hadjar managed to secure 8th place, but the Frenchman also had his share of troubles, with a spin early in the race that dropped him to the back of the field. His problems allowed Liam Lawson to take 7th place and score his first Grand Prix points, while Carlos Sainz, 9th, opens the counter of Williams.

Max Verstappen retires with 10 laps to go in this Grand Prix 😫#ChineseGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/wT3iJCL3In

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) March 15, 2026

However, his teammate Alex Albon is one of the four drivers who were unable to start due to various reliability issues, along with the McLaren de Lando Norris et Oscar piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto's Audi. The four-ringed brand is the only one, along with Cadillac and Aston Martinto leave China without having scored a single point, Sprint and Grand Prix combined.

F1 – Chinese Grand Prix
The classification of the race