Will the Chinese Grand Prix be a party for Mercedes, which is so successful as a constructor in Shanghai? Or perhaps for Lewis Hamilton, who is the most successful as a driver? Time for a preview, with reflections and a few facts and figures.
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Breakfast and racing! When the lights go out at 8.00 AM Dutch time on Sunday morning, we can enjoy the spectacle at the Shanghai International Circuit in the second Grand Prix of the season. Although? Based on qualifying and the sprint race, it seems that Mercedes is ‘simply’ going to dominate again. But who knows, maybe there could be a surprise from Hamilton, for example. And Max Verstappen? No, if we are to believe him. “This way,” he said after qualifying, “I’ll just finish eighth. That is also where we belong right now.”
Clear. Over to Hamilton. He starts third, behind polesitter Antonelli (with his new record) and championship leader Russell. And yes, Ferrari’s race pace will likely be lower than Mercedes’. But the start will be better, and furthermore, it is not guaranteed that Mercedes will remain problem-free. Q3 of qualifying showed that, when Russell had an electrical problem. And so, a battle between Hamilton and his old team might be on the horizon.
Facts
Time for a few facts and figures, therefore. Because in that case, it means a battle between the most successful team in China and the most successful driver. Mercedes has already been the team that provided the winner of the Chinese GP six times. And Hamilton himself won six times. But actually seven, if we include last year’s sprint race.
There you have it, the memory of that rare Ferrari success in 2025 might give the seven-time world champion some wings for Sunday’s race. Hamilton simply (almost) always performs well in Shanghai, where he also enjoys enormous popularity among Chinese Formula 1 fans. Ferrari is the pinnacle there, and Hamilton has been the personification of it since his move to the Scuderia.
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And there are plenty of fans: with 200.000 spectators, it’s another sold-out race weekend. Not surprising, given the estimated 20 million F1 fans in China. And for the true statistics enthusiasts: 31 percent of them are under 35 and 47 percent are female.
How many of them will be happy with Sunday’s race is the question. Because let’s be honest: the chance of their favorite winning is small. The battle will undoubtedly be between the two Mercedes drivers. But watching who becomes ‘best of the rest’ can also be fun. So, forget about sleeping in and enjoy following the race.
And furthermore…
…the first Chinese GP was in 2004
…a lap is 5451 meters
…it is 310 meters to the first braking point from pole position
…there were 90 overtakes in 2025
…there is a 50 percent chance of a safety car
…a pit stop in Shanghai, including entry and exit, takes 23,7 seconds
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Read everything about the Chinese GP here
