Chinese Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli seals maiden win, disastrous day for Max Verstappen, McLarens

Kimi Antonelli has become the second youngest winner in Formula 1 history with victory in Sunday's Chinese Grand Prix.

After making history with pole position on the grid, the 18-year-old - and Mercedes teammate George Russell - were passed by the Ferraris at the first corner.

However, they had reclaimed their positions by lap four and posted a second one-two for their team come the end of the race.

Russell endured a far more testing Grand Prix than in Australia, though, with the Briton struggling for grip at times and needing to move up from fifth heading into the halfway point.

While the two Mercedes were out front, Lewis Hamilton got the better of Charles Leclerc to seal his first Grand Prix podium position in Ferrari colours.

Nevertheless, finishing over 25 seconds adrift of the Mercedes, there remains a major gulf in quality between the two cars, with Ferrari requiring their rapid starts to keep them competitive.

Haas driver Oliver Bearman - 57.268 seconds adrift of Antonelli - was the best of the rest in fifth, and only eight drivers avoided being lapped.

We are underway in China, and Lewis Hamilton leads the race in his Ferrari! ? pic.twitter.com/iL68IvS80Q

— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) March 15, 2026

Disastrous day for McLarens, Verstappen

On a day when Mercedes showcased their dominance, world champion Lando Norris and McLaren Oscar Piastri were unable to start the race.

Separate electrical problems ensured that last year's Constructors champions were dealt a major blow, and it already casts doubt as to whether they will have the capabilities to challenge Mercedes later in the season.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen retired from sixth place with 10 laps remaining. Although the four-time world champion was never in contention to win, a rare retirement will cause concern for the Dutchman.

Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto and Williams' Alex Albion were also not in a position to start the race, developments that will inevitably lead to further criticism over the vast change in car setups and regulations.

How does F1 Championship look?

Helped by Saturday's Sprint win, Russell still leads the Formula 1 Drivers Championship by four points, ahead of Antonelli.

Leclerc and Hamilton are separated by one point in third and fourth respectively, the former 17 points adrift of Russell.

Norris is already 36 points behind Russell, while Verstappen has just nine points to show from his opening two weeks and is 42 points behind the leader.