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Formula 1 Chinese GP

F1 Chinese GP Live Commentary and Updates – Sprint Race & Qualifying

Saturday's action from the fifth round of the 2024 Formula 1 season.

George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15

After five years away, F1 has returned to Shanghai and with it the first sprint race format of the 2024 season.

All teams had just the sole 60-minute practice session to get up to speed on Friday before sprint race qualifying, which ended dramatically as rain hit Q3 that mixed up the order.

The first sprint race of the season starts at 4am BST (11am local time) followed by grand prix qualifying at 8am BST (3pm local time).

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With that we'll take a breather (not a nap, we promise) but never fear, we'll be back for grand prix qualifying that starts at 8am BST. Until then, go well!
Whether Mercedes can find Hamilton 13s of race time to close the gap to Red Bull and Verstappen in that period might be a tall order, but that'll be their ultimate aim. All about righting the wrongs of the sprint.
So, F1 teams now have three hours to make changes to their cars as parc ferme is effectively reopened under the sprint race format tweaks for 2024.
Breaking news
Here's the developing Chinese GP sprint race report on Verstappen's latest triumph.

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images

The top three are presented with plastic rectangles to celebrate their achievements... One for the mantle piece or a doorstopper?

Meanwhile, the all-Ferrari clash at the hairpin won't be investigated by the stewards.
The Turn 7 clash between Alonso and Sainz will be investigated after the sprint race - so right now, presumably.
Alonso is the sole Chinese GP sprint race retirement following his puncture from the battle with Sainz.
Zhou just misses out on points at home in the sprint in ninth, but that is still a really impressive result. Magnussen takes 10th ahead of Ricciardo, Bottas, Ocon, Stroll, Gasly, Tsunoda, Albon, Sargeant and Hulkenberg.
Leclerc takes fourth ahead of Sainz and Norris, as Piastri and Russell pick up the final points places.
Checkered flag
Verstappen wins the Chinese GP sprint race! He crosses the line 13s ahead of Hamilton in second, as Perez completes the sprint podium.
Last lap time! Verstappen has cleared off into the distance from Hamilton.
A Turn 14 all-Ferrari fight has been noted by the stewards along with the Turn 7 touch betwen Alonso and Sainz.
Alonso returns to the action in last place but is told to retire with two laps to go. He wasn't going to gain anything from staying out.
All of that has seen Perez as the big winner going from fifth to third, with Leclerc fourth, Sainz fifth and Norris sixth.
On the next lap Leclerc dives up the inside of Sainz into Turn 1 to take fourth place, while Alonso pits following his puncture.
Alonso has a puncture! It looks like he made minimal contact with Sainz and that's his race over in terms of fighting for points.
On lap 16 the battle has erupted! Sainz goes around the outside of Alonso at Turn 7 but the Aston Martin braves it out, pushing both drivers wide, which allows Perez to skate by them both at Turn 9!
Leclerc looks for a move on Perez but is shown the outline line into the hairpin and that makes the Ferrari driver lock-up and he has to back off.
Alonso's top speed looks seriously impressive given he is able to keep Sainz at arm's length even though the Ferrari driver has DRS. Five laps to go.
Verstappen has this sprint won - his lead is up to 6s and he's still 1.5s per lap faster than anyone else.
Leclerc has "some de-rating" with his Ferrari but he remains in this fight tucked up behind Perez in sixth.
Verstappen leads by 4.3s at the start of lap 13 from Hamilton, who has a 2.5s gap over Alonso.
Sainz takes a different line through Turn 1, going wider through the mid-corner, which opens an opportunity for Perez to make a move into Turn 3. He thinks better of it for now.
Alonso is defending from Sainz who heads a train of cars chasing for third. Just three seconds splits Alonso in third from Norris in seventh.
A lap later Hamilton has already dropped out of DRS range of Verstappen, so in truth the Brit's fight is to keep hold of second place. The Red Bull driver was 1.6s quicker than anyone else for the first lap he was in clear air.
Verstappen passes Hamilton into the hairpin to lead the sprint race on lap nine! It was a pretty easy move in truth, with the aid of DRS on the back straight, but can the Mercedes driver respond?
At the start of lap nine Russell gets by Zhou to move up to ninth.
On lap eight Hamilton runs deep into the hairpin and that gives Verstappen an opportunity to slash into his lead.
TV replays show Bottas is carrying serious front wing damage from a first-lap disagreement with his rivals.
Quote
"This thing won't turn in the low speed," Hamilton reports.
Using DRS on the back straight Verstappen zips by Alonso and into second place.
Verstappen has shaken off Sainz's advances and is now closing in on Alonso on lap seven.
The Zhou and Bottas incident will also not be investigated by the stewards. On we go.
All the drivers appear to be able to follow each other well around this track - it is the first time F1 has been here with these new era of cars after all - but everyone is managing their tyres.
Hamilton's lead is up to 1.5s at the end of lap five, while the gaps have stabilised behind him.
An incident between both Saubers has been noted for going off the track and gaining an advantage, while the Hulkenberg vs Stroll flashpoint won't be investigated.
Hamilton's lead is around the 1s mark on Alonso to keep him clear of a threat from the Spaniard. But how much is each driver managing his tyres?
Russell, on the softs remember, moves up to 10th passing Magnussen up the inside into the hairpin.

By: Autosport Staff

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