Chinese Grand Prix - Race recap: Lewis third, Charles fourth

Shanghai, 15 March 2026 – It's time for the second round of the season, the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. The skies are overcast, air temperature is 16 degrees, with the track at 24. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are third and fourth on the grid respectively.

Start. Hamilton takes the lead off the line ahead of Kimi Antonelli, Leclerc and George Russell.

Lap 3. Antonelli passes Lewis and Russell moves ahead of Charles. On the following lap, Russell also gets the better of Leclerc so Ferrari are third and fourth.

Lap 10. Lance Stroll stops on the track: Safety Car. The Mercedes and Ferraris all put to switch to Hard tyres. Lewis is fifth behind Russell, Leclerc is seventh behind Liam Lawson. 

Lap 14. At the restart Lewis passes Russell and Esteban Ocon to go third. Charles passes Lawson and also Russell to run fifth.

Lap 15. Hamilton passes Franco Colapinto to take second place, while Leclerc gets ahead of Ocon for fourth.

Lap 16. Charles passes Colapinto and moves up to third behind his team-mate. 

Lap 25. Charles passes Lewis for second, but on the next lap they swap places again. A great duel ensues with the two Ferraris joined by Russell, who moves up to third on lap 27. 

Lap 30. Russell passes Charles and moves up to second place.

Lap 34. The Ferraris switch places again at turn 14, with Lewis now third ahead of Charles.

Lap 39. And still the duel rages on, with the two Ferrari trading places, but Hamilton comes off best ahead of Leclerc.

Finish. The order settles down at the front. Antonelli wins from Russell, Lewis and Charles. The Scuderia is second in the Constructors’ Championship with two podium finishes in as many races.

15 marzo 2026