2025 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix preview

The 2025 Formula 1 World Championship continues this weekend with round two, the Chinese Grand Prix, taking place once again at the Shanghai International Circuit.

The circuit stretches 3.4 miles and features 16 turns. It’s known for fast corners, a smooth surface, and plenty of overtaking opportunities. Around 80% of a lap is spent cornering, so the tires struggle to last, and strategy can make a huge difference.

Pirelli has nominated its mid-range C2, C3, and C4 compounds for the race, the same combination as last year. The weather can be quite changeable, and rain is often a feature in Shanghai this time of year. However, the current forecast calls for fine weather throughout the weekend.

This year’s Chinese Grand Prix includes the first Sprint race of the season. The Sprint race is a standalone points race with its own qualifying session that takes place on Friday, following an initial practice session.

This year, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton qualified on pole for Saturday’s Sprint race, edging out Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen and setting a new lap record of 1:30.849s for the Shanghai International Circuit in the process. A second qualifying session will be held later on Saturday for Sunday’s main race.

Going into the weekend, McLaren’s Lando Norris leads the 2025 Drivers’ Championship with 25 points. Verstappen is second with 18 points, and Mercedes-AMG’s George Russell is third with 15 points. In the Constructors’ Championship, McLaren and Mercedes are tied with 27 points, while Red Bull is third with 18 points. Last year’s winner in China was Verstappen, driving for Red Bull.