Russell wins thrilling China Sprint from Leclerc and Hamilton

George Russell continued his perfect 2026 F1 season by winning the Sprint at the Chinese Grand Prix. Despite an early battle with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, who surged from fourth to briefly take the lead, Russell reclaimed the top spot on Lap 5 and managed the race expertly. Charles Leclerc secured second place for Ferrari after getting the better of his teammate, finishing just 0.6 seconds behind the winner. The race saw drama late on following a Safety Car period caused by Nico Hülkenberg's stricken Audi. This led to a flurry of pit stops that shuffled the pack, allowing Hamilton to finish third ahead of McLaren's Lando Norris. Kimi Antonelli recovered to fifth for Mercedes despite an early collision and penalty, while Oscar Piastri, Liam Lawson, and Oliver Bearman rounded out the points-paying positions.