F1 | Shanghai Qualifying LIVE: Can Ferrari bridge the gap to Mercedes for pole?

The qualifying session for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix is underway—follow it live: Ferrari and Mercedes are once again fighting for pole position in Shanghai.

04:45 – The weekend heats up

The hectic Chinese Grand Prix weekend comes alive on Saturday morning. There’s no time to rest in Shanghai, which hosts the first Sprint Race of the year. After the thrilling action in Melbourne, F1 returns to the track with only a single Free Practice session. Teams are hunting for the perfect setup, and finding the optimal energy management strategy has become even more crucial.

04:30 – Ferrari vs Mercedes duel continues

The rivalry between Ferrari and Mercedes continues in Shanghai. In Australia, it was the W17 that had the upper hand, achieving a one-two finish with George Russell ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli. In China, the weekend began with a debate over the starting procedure and some “spicy” remarks from the Englishman himself. However, there will be no changes, and the SF-26 will continue to leverage its key strengths.

04:15 – Sprint qualifying shows Mercedes’ power advantage

The Sprint Qualifying made Mercedes’ engine advantage very clear. While Ferrari can outperform in corners and technical sections, when it comes to raw power from the Power Unit and battery, the W17 remains untouchable. In the Shootout, Brackley scored another one-two, with George Russell ahead of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Lewis Hamilton seems in better form than Charles Leclerc.

04:00 – Saturday qualifying preview

The feeling is that the trends could repeat in Saturday’s qualifying, which sets the starting grid for the race. Ferrari will need to try to beat McLaren, which, on a single lap, as shown by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, can get ahead of the SF-26. The session is scheduled for 08:00 CET, with the green flag marking the start of Q1.