Let’s take a closer look at the tyre choices made by Pirelli ahead of the Sprint weekend for the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix: the Shanghai circuit could highlight one of Ferrari’s key strengths. The 2026 F1 World Championship is preparing for its second round of the season with the Chinese Grand Prix, scheduled at the Shanghai International Circuit, which will also host the first Sprint weekend of the year — a format in which Ferrari claimed victory last season. On Saturday the first of the six Sprint races scheduled in the 2026 calendar will take place: a 19-lap contest that will already award important championship points on the day before the main Grand Prix.
Pirelli’s tyre choices for the Chinese Grand Prix weekend
For the race weekend in China, Pirelli has confirmed the same tyre selection used since the Shanghai circuit returned to the calendar two years ago. Teams will have the C2, C3 and C4 compounds available to tackle the 5.451-kilometre track designed by Hermann Tilke.
The circuit layout, whose shape resembles the Chinese ideogram “shang”, meaning “towards the top” or “above”, features sixteen corners and two long straights. The first connects Turn 13 — a slightly banked corner — to the heavy braking zone of Turn 14, while the second, stretching for more than one kilometre, hosts the starting grid and represents one of the main overtaking opportunities on the circuit.
The circuit could highlight one of Ferrari’s key strengths
From a technical perspective, Shanghai offers a complex combination of fast and slow corners, characteristics that worked particularly well for Ferrari during the Melbourne weekend. Among the most demanding sections is the rapid sequence between Turns 7 and 8. More technical and slower parts of the track include the long combination from Turn 1 to Turn 3, Turn 6, and the heavy braking zone into Turn 14. This variety of sections puts significant pressure on both the tyres and the energy recovery systems of the new generation of power units.
Another aspect to monitor closely will be braking management, especially after the frequent lock-ups observed during the pre-season tests in Bahrain, where several braking zones share similarities with those at the Chinese circuit.
The track surface, which was completely resurfaced in August 2024, offered a high level of grip and faster lap times during the 2025 race weekend. However, the very smooth asphalt also encouraged front-axle graining, particularly during the Sprint race. One year later the surface is expected to be slightly more “mature”, which could help reduce this phenomenon.
According to simulations provided to the teams, the predicted lap times are expected to be similar to those recorded last season. Despite the fact that the 2026 cars are significantly different from the previous generation, the energy management zones compensate for the lower absolute speed of the new cars, allowing performance levels to remain comparable around the Shanghai circuit.
This upcoming Chinese Grand Prix therefore presents a vital opportunity for Ferrari to demonstrate its technical versatility on a track that rewards balanced aerodynamic performance. WIth the first Sprint weekend of the 2026 season, the ability of the team to find the right setup immediately will be the deciding factor in whether they can outperform rivals Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren. With the “mature” track surface likely shifting the strategy toward tire management, Ferrari’s prowess in protecting the front tires could be the key to securing another victory in Shanghai.
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