Just nowSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:56amPiastri wheeled off the grid
It’s going from bad to worse for McLaren.
Oscar Piastri has been wheeled off the grid.
He will not start from fifth. We do not know what the issue is.
2m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:55am
ABC Sport readers are thinking positively for Oscar
G’day Mick. What’s the plan you reckon ? Oscar overtakes them all at the start , leaves Ferrari/Mercedes to battle the minor placings? We have to think positive !
– Phillip
G’day Phillip.
Thanks for joining me on the ABC Sport F1 live blog.
I like the way you think, but McLaren would need to show some pace not yet revealed to make your hope come true.
But stranger things have happened in Formula 1.
5m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:52am
Thoughts on F1
Loved f1 racing. Then they decided to change the cars because Mercedes could not win any more. Oops now Mercedes wins and heaps of other drivers can not even get warm. Well ok. So I don’t watch now. Good luck and oh I will not miss the English gentlemen that commentate. Not even a little bit.
– Clive Nicholson
G’day Clive.
This is certainly an interesting take, which I fear have a few flaws in logic.
However, television’s loss is ABC Sport’s gain. Thanks for joining me on the blog.
12m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:45amWhat are the pit strategy options this afternoon?
We always love to discuss pit strategy.
Last year, Oscar Piastri won the grand prix by just pitting once. He started on the medium compound, and switched the hard on lap 14 of 56.
This year, F1 analysts believe the one-stop will be the best way to go, ina similar way to Piastri last year.
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Something worth noting was the graining on the tyres during the sprint race yesterday.
The sprint race was only 19 laps, but those on the soft and medium tyres yesterday were battling tyre degradation.
Could that mean a two-stop is possible?
Time will tell.
17m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:40amThings to know about the Chinese Grand Prix
 Let’s dive into a few important details before the race.
Firstly, the track.
The Shanghai International Circuit is a 5.451km circuit with 16 corners.
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The long, sweeping turn 1 into turn 2 is a good overtaking spot.
Turn 6 comes at the end of a short straight and provides an overtaking option.
The best overtaking opportunity comes at the end of the HUGE back straight, into the turn 14 hairpin.
The Overtake Mode detection point is at the final turn, and there are four zones where drivers can activate Straight Mode, opening their rear wings and flattening their front wings.
Number of laps in the grand prix: 56Length of the lap: 5.451kmLength of the grand prix: 305.066kmFastest lap in a grand prix: 1:32.238Â Michael Schumacher (2004)24m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:33amLando Norris does not complete the lap to the grid
We reported earlier that there was an electrical issue in the car for Lando Norris.
The reigning world champion has not completed the lap to the grid.
That gives McLaren more time to try and fix this issue, but he will start from the pit lane, and not from sixth as he hoped.
27m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:30am
Who is the youngest F1 race winner ever?
If Kimi is the youngest pole sitter ever, will he be the youngest winner if he wins today?
– Sarah
G’day Sarah.
Kimi is the youngest pole sitter ever, but he cannot become the youngest race winner ever. At 19 years of age, he is too old for that.
Max Verstappen is the youngest winner of an F1 grand prix.
Verstappen won the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix at 18 years and 228 days old. It was Verstappen’s first race for Red Bull, after stepping up from the sister team, then known as Toro Rosso.
I remember where I was that day. I was working in a pub in the English town of Middlesbrough. When a patron came in and told me Verstappen had won, I dropped the pint glass I was cleaning. I was stunned.
32m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:25am
F1’s 10 youngest pole sitters
Kimi Antonelli made history yesterday afternoon, becoming the youngest driver to ever qualify on pole position for a Formula 1 grand prix.
At 19 years, 6 months and 18 days, the Italian teenager beat the record which was set by Sebastian Vettel in 2008.
If you wish to know who the 10 youngest first-time pole sitters in history are, then here is the list below.
A shoutout to online publication RacingNews365, which put together this list.
Kimi Antonelli: 19 years, 6 months, 18 days — China 2026Sebastian Vettel: 21 years, 2 months, 11 days —Italy 2008
Charles Leclerc: 21 years, 5 months, 15 days —Bahrain 2019
Fernando Alonso: 21 years, 7 months, 23 days — Malaysia 2003
Max Verstappen: 21 years, 10 months, 5 days — Hungary 2019
Lando Norris: 21 years, 10 months, 13 days — Russia 2021Lance Stroll: 22 years, 0 months, 17 days — Turkey 2020Rubens Barrichello: 22 years, 3 months, 5 days — Belgium 1994Lewis Hamilton: 22 years, 5 months, 3 days — Canada 2007Andrea de Cesaris: 22 years, 10 months, 4 days — USA West 1982
40m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:17am
Why do drivers start from pit lane?
Hi What type of changes to a car means you have to start from the pit lane a car.
Just wondering if its worth the trouble to do such a change that you have to start in the pit lane
– Ray
G’day Ray.
This is a great question.
You may have noticed that Williams driver Alex Albon will start from pit lane, instead of 18th on the grid, after the team made changes to his car.
Williams made a change to the setup of Alex’s car, which we believe is related to the suspension.
Once qualifying begins, the cars are in parc fermé conditions. The term parc fermé is French for closed park and means no team is allowed to make major set-up changes to their car, without receiving a penalty.
Some of the usual major setup changes include making alterations to the suspension, rear wing or floor.
When this happens, the driver must start from the pit lane.
For Williams. They must believe they are better off changing the suspension and starting from the pits, than putting up with what they have and starting from the grid.
46m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:10amMcLaren looking into electronic issue in Lando Norris’s car
Just a quick note on McLaren.
The television broadcast from Sky Sports F1 has shown members of the McLaren team working feverishly on Lando Norris’s car.
Sky Sports pit lane reporter Ted Kravitz is reporting the team has found an electrical problem in the car. It is hoped the issue will be fixed quickly.
57m agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 6:00am
Starting grid: Chinese Grand Prix
There has been a change to the starting grid.
After making a change to the car, Williams driver Alex Albon will start from the pit lane. He had qualified 18th fastest.
Kimi Antonelli, MercedesGeorge Russell, MercedesLewis Hamilton, FerrariCharles Leclerc, FerrariOscar Piastri, McLarenPierre Gasly, AlpineMax Verstappen, Red BullIsack Hadjar, Red BullOliver Bearman, HaasNico Hulkenberg, AudiFranco Colapinto, AlpineEsteban Ocon, HaasLiam Lawson, Racing BullsArvid Lindblad, Racing BullsGabriel Bortoleto, AudiCarlos Sainz, WilliamsFernando Alonso, Aston MartinValtteri Bottas, CadillacLance Stroll, Aston MartinSergio Perez, CadillacLando Norris, McLaren (PIT LANE START)Alex Albon, Williams (PIT LANE START)1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:40amF1 cancels Bahrain and Saudi Arabia grands prix due to Middle East war
The big news today was the cancellation of rounds four and five of this year’s championship.
Races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, slated for next month, will not go ahead due to the ongoing conflict in the region.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, said: “While this was a difficult decision to take, it is unfortunately the right one at this stage considering the current situation in the Middle East.”
You can read more on this story by tapping the link below.
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:25am
Piastri says ‘there’s no point in lying’ about gap to Mercedes
Australian Oscar Piastri is speaking on the drivers’ parade.
The Australian will start today’s Chinese Grand Prix from fifth, alongside his McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
Today’s starting grid really does show the F1 pecking order at the moment.
Both Mercedes on the front row. Both Ferraris on the second row. Both McLarens on the third row.
Can McLaren take the fight to Mercedes from the third row? Piastri is not convinced.
There’s no point in lying to ourselves; we’re a step behind.
Yesterday, we got pretty close to optimising what we had, and we’re still half a second off.
While fighting Mercedes may be a bridge too far, Piastri does believe McLaren can battle against Ferrari for podium spots. But even then, the Melburnian believes McLaren will need a little luck.
Some action at the front would be good. We’ll see what we’ve got. Hopefully, we’ve improved the car a little bit from the sprint yesterday, and hopefully, we can stay with Ferrari a little bit better.
To finish ahead of [Ferrari], I think we’re going to need a bit of action and a bit of opportunism.
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:20am
Ferrari cannot beat Mercedes ‘on pure pace’: Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton will start third in today’s grand prix, with his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc alongside him in fourth.
The Ferrari duo are starting behind the Mercedes duo of Kimi Antonelli and George Russell.
Speaking during the drivers’ parade, Hamilton said he hoped Ferrari would be able to strategically try to beat Mercedes today.
It’s so hard to beat the Mercedes. On pure pace, we won’t be able to beat them.
Hopefully, we can tag-team and try to apply pressure to them both. Maybe through strategy we’ll be able to pull something out of the bag.
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:15am
Antonelli looking for a good start, and wary of Ferrari
Italian teen Kimi Antonelli is starting on pole position for this afternoon’s Chinese Grand Prix.
He became the youngest pole sitter for a grand prix with his efforts in qualifying yesterday.
He has just spoken during the drivers’ parade and said he does not want to “overcomplicate” this afternoon.
I’m super happy with yesterday, of course.
Now looking forward to the race. There is a lot to play for. It’s not going to be easy, but [the car’s] pace is good.
The Italian expects his teammate George Russell, also starting on the front row, to challenge him, bt he is also expecting Ferrari to be a contender.
Hopefully, we can get a good start and then set the pace.
I wouldn’t discount the Ferraris. They are very strong at the start.
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:10am
Piastri hoping McLaren can ‘unlock’ pace in China
Just like in Australia, the McLarens have qualified on the third row of the grid for this afternoon’s grand prix.
Oscar Piastri will start fifth, with reigning drivers’ champion Lando Norris sixth.
But the rest of the field is playing catch-up to Mercedes.
George Russell was on pole and won the Australian Grand Prix, then was on pole and won the China sprint race.
Now, his Mercedes teammate Kimi Antonelli will start this afternoon’s grand prix on pole.
Speaking after yesterday’s action, when Piastri finished sixth in the sprint, the Australian spoke about what McLaren hopes to be able to achieve in China.
“We’ll do what we can to get a good start and keep on top of the tyres, as they were a key factor in the Sprint. Car pace will also be very important, so let’s see what we can unlock overnight to get some more points on the board.”
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:02am
What time does the F1 Chinese Grand Prix start?
Here are the start times for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix in your state or territory.
6pm AEDT: NSW, Victoria, ACT, Tasmania5:30pm ACDT: South Australia5pm AEST: Queensland4:30pm ACST: Northern Territory3pm AWST: Western Australia
1h agoSun 15 Mar 2026 at 5:00am
Welcome to the ABC Sport Formula 1 live blog
Good afternoon, Australia.
Welcome back to ABC Sport’s live digital coverage of the 2026 Formula 1 championship.
F1 is in Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix, the second round of the season.
Mercedes dominated in Melbourne one week ago. Can they do it again?
Join me throughout this afternoon and evening as ABC Sport guides you through the pre-race, grand prix, and post-race action.
Join the conversation and leave your thoughts on all things Formula 1 in the comment section.