F1 Today: Official Shanghai Grid Sees Antonelli On Pole, Albon Sent To Pit Lane
f1 today: The official starting order for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai places Kimi Antonelli and George Russell on an all‑Mercedes front row, with the Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc directly behind. Alex Albon will start from the pit lane after Williams made setup changes to his car, despite originally qualifying in P18.
F1 Today: Official Grid And Race Times
The full grid for Sunday’s race in Shanghai shows the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris occupying the positions immediately behind the Ferraris. An Alpine driven by Pierre Gasly out‑qualified the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar to sit on row four, while Haas driver Oliver Bearman completes the top 10.
At the rear of the order, Aston Martin and Cadillac machines bring up the back of the grid, with Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll listed in P18 and P20 respectively, and Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez in P19 and P21. The 2026 Chinese Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 3: 00 am ET, with live coverage beginning at 2: 00 am ET.
Albon Sent To Pit Lane After Parc Fermé Changes
Williams elected to make changes to Alex Albon’s car that breached parc fermé conditions, forcing the Thai driver to begin the race from the pit lane. This marks a repeat of the same circumstance at the event: the team made suspension adjustments that required the pit‑lane start.
Albon had originally qualified in P18, behind teammate Carlos Sainz, and neither Williams driver advanced out of SQ1 or Q1. The sprint concluded with Albon classified in P16. The decision to alter the setup ahead of the race leaves him starting from the pit lane rather than his on‑track qualifying position.
What The Grid Means For The Race Start
The all‑Mercedes front row sets up a heavyweight battle into the opening corner, with the fast‑starting Ferraris immediately in contention. The McLarens occupy the next slots, positioning them to challenge the leading quartet into the early laps. Pierre Gasly’s strong qualifying for Alpine and Oliver Bearman’s top‑10 place add midfield intrigue.
Albon’s pit‑lane start removes one competitor from the immediate on‑track scramble at lights out and will require a recovery strategy from Williams. The official grid and the enforced pit‑lane start shape how teams will approach the opening stint and early overtaking opportunities as the field settles on Sunday.
Race action begins at 3: 00 am ET, with live coverage from 2: 00 am ET.
