Watch the China Sprint highlights as Russell wins

George Russell secured victory in the first Sprint race of the 2026 season at the Chinese Grand Prix. Despite losing the lead to Lewis Hamilton at the start, Russell reclaimed the top spot after a fierce battle and held it until the end. Charles Leclerc finished second, followed by his Ferrari teammate Hamilton in third. Lando Norris took fourth place for McLaren, while Kimi Antonelli finished fifth for Mercedes after recovering from a difficult start and overcoming a 10-second penalty for a collision with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar. The race saw late-stage drama when the Safety Car was deployed following Nico Hülkenberg’s retirement, as the Audi driver pulled off the track at Turn 1.