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Lorraine McKenna

1. Can Antonelli secure race win?published at 08:46 GMT

   Image source, Getty Images

   Kimi Antonelli’s maiden pole position in Formula 1 has now been ticked off the to-do list but can the Italian follow that up with his first grand prix victory?

   So far in 2026, race starts haven’t been Antonelli’s strong point and with team-mate George Russell alongside him on the front row and the rapid Ferrari of Lewis Hamilton just behind, can the Italian put it all together and hold the more experienced drivers at bay?

   The top three have taken their seats in the post-qualifying news conference and Hamilton is giving warm words to his younger competitor. “An amazing achievement,” says the seven-time world champion.

   He then jokes: “He took my seat! And he hit it hard from the get-go.”

2. Ferrari working to ‘optimise everything’ – Leclercpublished at 08:43 GMT

   Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who will start in fourth for Sunday’s race: “There wasn’t much more for us, for me, struggling a lot on this track for some reason. That has always been the case, it is not that I am not trying. I am putting a lot of effort into it but I just struggling in qualifying.

   “These cars have to be driven a bit differently in qualifying so there is some work going on to try and optimise everything which will put us closer to Mercedes eventually. But pretty satisfised with the track that I struggle with.

   On the battle with Lewis Hamilton during the sprint race: “No, we did not speak but it will be fine.”

3. get involved

   Get Involved – ‘Ferrari lucky to have Hamilton’published at 08:38 GMT

   Select the ‘Get Involved’ button to have your say

   S: Good to see Hamilton at his best, far too long in doldrums. Don’t like new rules but it is what it is. Good to see unknowns performing.

   Ken Winslade: Not sure what I’m enjoying more so far this season. Another Brit dominating, Lewis back in the mix or Max unable to do anything and moaning all the time. Simply lovely.

   Phil Tucker: Massive following for Lewis coming alive again after four years of misery. I am so pleased for him. Ferrari are very lucky to have him.

4. ‘We’ll have some fun’ – Hamiltonpublished at 08:34 GMT

   Image source, Getty Images

   Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who will start the race in third: “It was actually a really tough qualifying, a bit harder this one with the wind. It is so gusty today so putting the laps together was challenging. Charles put in great laps, the Mercedes put in great laps.

   “I am really, really happy to be up here. Grateful to be up here with these guys, they have been rapid this season. We did some good work, the engineers did some great work over the break and we managed to get a little closer to [Mercedes] so that’s a real positive.

   “It is still going to be a challenge, but I’m sure we’ll have some fun [in the race], I’m looking forward to it. We learnt a lot in the sprint race. Our goal is to break the gap between these guys somehow.”

5. get involved

   Get Involvedpublished at 08:30 GMT

   ‘Select the ‘Get Involved’ button to have your say’

   Fiifi Mensah: I’m now fully convinced that it is the car which determines the championship

   Clive Green: Forget the driver, what fantastic work by Russell’s pit crew!

   Chris Alessi: George comes out does one lap and is P2. Tells you all you need to know about Mercedes return to top form this year.

6. ‘Damage limitation’ for Russellpublished at 08:27 GMT

   Image source, Getty Images

   Mercedes’ George Russell, who had issues in Q3 but starts on the front row in P2: “Damage limitation. In Q2 the wing broke, so we were wrapping our heads around that. Then I went out in Q3, stopped on track, restarting, couldn’t chage gear but really happy to be standing here.

   “At the start of the last lap, I had no battery, nothing. But the team has done a really great job to get us in this position – it could’ve been much worse. Very glad and well done to this guy [Antonelli]. Awesome.

   On the threat of Ferrari’s race start: “They were super-fast off the line. For us, we just have to keep it clean, have a good race, put a good race on for the fans and see what we can do.”

7. ‘Looking forward to the race’ – Antonellipublished at 08:24 GMT

   Image source, Getty Images

   Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli, who becomes the youngest polesitter in F1 history: “It was a pretty intense session, really happy, unfortunately George had an issue in Q3. I think it was a really good session. No mistakes and looking forward to the race tomorrow.

   “I saw he had the issue but I tried to keep my focus to stay calm and try to deliver a good lap, at the end.”

8. get involved

   Get Involvedpublished at 08:21 GMT

   ‘Select the ‘Get Involved’ button to have your say’

   Paul Rickelsford: Early days but could we have a four-horse race for this year’s title? Maybe even an 19-year-old world champion?

9. Antonelli takes pole in Chinapublished at 08:17 GMT

   Kimi Antonelli has entered the Formula 1 record books as the youngest driver to take pole position for a grand prix at 19 years and 201 days old, beating out four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, who was 21 years and 73 days old.

   Image source, Getty Images

10. And the restpublished at 08:14 GMT

    11. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi)

    12. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)

    13. Esteban Ocon (Haas)

    14. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)

    15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls)

    16. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi)

    17. Carlos Sainz (Williams)

    18. Alex Albon (Williams)

    19. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)

    20. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac)

    21. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)

    22. Sergio Perez (Cadillac)

11. Top 10published at 08:10 GMT

    1. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) – 1:32.064

    2. George Russell (Mercedes) +0.222

    3. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) +0.351

    4. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) +0.364

    5. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) +0.486

    6. Lando Norris (McLaren) +0.544

    7. Pierre Gasly (Alpine) +0.809

    8. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) +0.938

    9. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull) +1.057

    10. Oliver Bearman (Haas) +1.228

12. Postpublished at 08:07 GMT

    Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    They will be thrilled, a great job by the Mercedes team to ensure that [George Russell’s] car got back out again and is now on the front row instead of the fifth row where his car was destined to be. To be on the front row for tomorrow’s race is almost like a win for him.

13. 

    Chequered flagpublished at 08:04 GMT

    It’s another Mercedes front-row lockout but this time it’s Kimi Antonelli who claims pole position ahead of team-mate George Russell.

    Lewis Hamilton outqualifies his Ferrari buddy Charles Leclerc and will start third with the Monegasque fourth and Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishes fifth and sixth for McLaren.

    Image source, Getty Images

14. Russell onto the front row in P2published at 08:02 GMT

    Kimi Antonelli is on course to be polesitter in Shanghai but George Russell is still fighting for this front row spot. The Briton crosses the line but he’s 0.222 seconds away from the Italian’s top marker, so it’s second for Russell on Sunday.

15. Hamilton goes P2published at 08:00 GMT

    Charles Leclerc has clocked the fastest middle sector but Kimi Antonelli extends his lead by 0.486 seconds over the McLaren of Oscar Piastri.

    Leclerc completes his lap but his time is only good enough for P2, which is now P3 because Lewis Hamilton has climbed onto the front row alongside Antonelli!

16. Postpublished at 08:00 GMT

    Sam Bird
    Formula E driver on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    They have 60 seconds to get [George Russell’s] car out if they want to do a competitive lap in Q3. Are Mercedes going to send out the car or is it not ready?

17. Russell leaves the garagepublished at 07:59 GMT

    George Russell makes his way out of the pit lane and is hurtling around the Shanghai International Circuit so he can make it around in time to get a lap on the board.

18. Cars head back outpublished at 07:58 GMT

    One of the Mercedes is joining the track but it’s not George Russell. The mechanics are still working but it looks like the Briton could be set to head out shortly.

    Kimi Antonelli leads Oscar Piastri by 0.228 with the other McLaren of Lando Norris in third.

19. Postpublished at 07:56 GMT

    Andrew Benson
    BBC F1 correspondent

    What is interesting about the first times from Antonelli and the two Ferraris is that Antonelli improved by a tenth compared to Q2 but the two Ferraris are both slow. We’ve just seen Lewis Hamilton have an error in Turn 10. Charles Leclerc had a bit of a moment going into the back straights, maybe that is where they have lost their time. There is still time for Ferrari to improve and get to Antonelli’s time.

20. Antonelli leading the waypublished at 07:56 GMT

    George Russell is the only driver without a time on the board after those opening runs in China qualifying. The Mercedes crew are working hard to get him back up and running but he’s got a mountain to climb now.

    Max Verstappen is sixth, his Red Bull team-mate Isack Hadjar seventh, Haas’ Oliver Bearman is in eighth and the Alpine is in ninth.