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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.
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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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"Why is my battery flat, ****?" Verstappen says on team radio. He's told to use "mode eight" for his engine.
At the start of lap three Sainz is pressuring Verstappen for third place, while Norris is hassling Leclerc for sixth.
Stroll says Hulkenberg "pushed me off the track" and the incident as been noted by the stewards.
Hamilton leads by 0.7s as DRS is enabled on the second lap. Can Alonso strike before he drops out of DRS range?
Everyone is still in this race so far, with Norris the biggest loser going from first to seventh on the first lap.
Sainz is on the attack, getting by Perez, and looks for a way around the outside of Verstappen at the hairpin at the end of the opening lap.
Hamilton leads from Alonso, Verstappen ad Perez. Sainz has lost a place and is down in fifth with Leclerc sixth.
Green flag
Go! Hamilton dives into the lead into Turn 1 but Norris doesn't want to yield, which pushes him wide and off the track. Norris drops to seventh.
Norris leads around the F1 car train back to the starting grid so we are moments away from the race start... here we go.
There is a variety of fresh or used mediums on show too. Norris and Hamilton are definitely starting on fresh mediums, as they pull away for the formation lap.
I'm not currently listening to Russell's radio but I suspect once he is told everyone else is on mediums, he might let out a small "oh no". Hero or zero move, that.
Tyres: Everyone is on mediums apart from Russell who has gambled for the softs.
Which, granted, for the likes of Piastri or Sargeant isn't that long ago, but it'll be into the decades for the likes of Hamilton. But I'd suspect Alonso has started earlier given his Dakar/WEC/Indy 500 days.
The drivers are getting strapped into their cars so it is nearly time to go. A random thought, given the local time in Shanghai is approaching 11am, this must be the earliest the drivers have started a race since their junior single-seater days.
Given the vast run-off area around most of the track, the chance of a safety car isn't zero, but it is much smaller than other tracks that'll host a sprint race. That could mean drivers are less likely to gamble on softs and hope for a period of the race to protect their tyres.
What can we expect from today's sprint race? It is a relative step into the unknown for all teams and drivers given the sole practice session and no F1 race here of any kind for five years.
But tyres will be key - recent sprints have often seen those on softer rubber try to bolt clear at the start and then be reeled in by those on the harder compounds towards the end.
But tyres will be key - recent sprints have often seen those on softer rubber try to bolt clear at the start and then be reeled in by those on the harder compounds towards the end.
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Breaking news
One of the other more unusual talking points of yesterday was the sudden and unexplained trackside grass fires. Here's the latest from the FIA:
"Although we are still uncertain why grass fires occurred in yesterday's sessions, we are taking pre-emptive measures ahead of today's track activities. We will be watering the grass in the affected areas and will have an emergency fire response team on standby at Turn 7."
"Although we are still uncertain why grass fires occurred in yesterday's sessions, we are taking pre-emptive measures ahead of today's track activities. We will be watering the grass in the affected areas and will have an emergency fire response team on standby at Turn 7."
The rising temperatures means making the right tyre call will be vital given managing tyre life and performance over what is a long stint will be challenging. Drivers have a free choice of tyre, but if the temperature keeps climbing, expect more to shift towards hards or mediums.
Sun
Conditions are dry and a little warmer than Friday's qualifying - with air temperature at 19.6C and track temperature at 26.4C - but with the sun breaking out that is likely to rise as we approach the race start.
Yesterday sprint qualifying took place and it was a very dramatic end to the session as rain arrived just before Q3. Norris profited to take sprint race pole - but only after initially losing his best lap time - ahead of Hamilton, Alonso and Verstappen to set up a tasty sharp end of the grid.
The latest sprint race tweaks have seen it pushed forward to a Saturday morning (in this case, a very early Saturday morning) in order for regular qualifying to slot into its normal Saturday afternoon slot. Beyond that, the sprint race is how we know it: 19 laps, no mandatory pitstops, points for the top eight.
The pitlane is open and the drivers are on their way to the grid for the Chinese GP sprint race that starts in just under 30 minutes. Everyone has just one lap to the grid to get a feel for things and shake off any early morning grogginess.
Lights green
A very good morning one and all! Who fancies an early morning sprint race? Well, you have come to the right place.
By: Autosport Staff
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