Max Verstappen has suffered a shock late retirement from the Chinese Grand Prix, cementing a miserable weekend.
The four-time world champion had been running in sixth following another poor launch off the grid, which saw Verstappen slip to 16th.
However, on lap 45, the Dutchman’s Red Bull suddenly slowed due to a possible electrical issue. As a result, the team called for Verstappen to retire from the race.
Verstappen became the third driver to retire from the race joining both Aston Martins, while four drivers failed to even start the second round of 2026.
It left just 15 drivers on circuit with Kimi Antonelli comfortably leading ahead of George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.