Mercedes Dominates Chinese GP Practice as Ferrari's Radical Wing Debuts

Mercedes confirmed its strong early-season form by locking out the top two positions in the sole practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix, with George Russell leading teammate Kimi Antonelli. The session was marked by Ferrari's race debut of its radical 'flipping' rear wing and significant struggles for Red Bull, while several teams grappled with tyre graining issues that could complicate the rest of the sprint weekend format.

Why it matters:

With only one practice session before sprint qualifying, the data gathered here is critical for setting up the car for the entire weekend. Mercedes' commanding half-second gap to the nearest non-Mercedes car signals a potential continuation of their early 2026 dominance. Conversely, Red Bull's surprising lack of pace, over 1.8 seconds off the lead, raises immediate questions about their competitiveness at this circuit.

The Details:

• Mercedes on Top: George Russell set the benchmark with a 1m32.741s on soft tyres, 0.120s clear of Kimi Antonelli. Their nearest rival, Lando Norris for McLaren, was over half a second behind.
• Ferrari's Wing & Woes: Ferrari ran its innovative upside-down rear wing for the first time in a race weekend. The session was challenging for the team, highlighted by a wild spin for Lewis Hamilton at Turn 6. The stewards also noted a close moment between Hamilton and Norris but took no further action.
• Red Bull's Struggle: Max Verstappen could only manage eighth, 1.888s off the pace, with teammate Isack Hadjar a further three-tenths back in 13th, indicating a potentially difficult weekend for the reigning champions.
• Mixed Fortunes Elsewhere:
  • Haas's Ollie Bearman impressed with seventh but spun after the checkered flag.
  • Williams lost significant track time with a data issue on Carlos Sainz's car, limiting him to 17th.
  • Rookie Arvid Lindblad's session ended early with a stoppage in his Racing Bulls after just six laps.
  • Alpine's Franco Colapinto had a dramatic morning, spinning on his out-lap and later stopping in the pitlane.
• Tyre Concerns: Multiple teams reported tyre graining, a critical issue with no further practice sessions to test solutions before the competitive sessions begin.

What's next:

All eyes turn to sprint qualifying. Teams have no more practice time to solve their tyre graining puzzles or dial in car setups, making their FP1 data analysis paramount. Mercedes will aim to convert its practice pace into a sprint front row, while Ferrari will seek more stability from its new package. The biggest question mark hangs over Red Bull's ability to recover from a seemingly significant performance deficit on a track where they expected to be stronger.