F1 Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying Results: Russell Pole, Mercedes 1-2 Shock, Hamilton P4 & Verstappen Struggles

Day one of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend is complete and we already have huge storylines emerging in the 2026 Formula 1 season.In this episode of No Lift F1, we break down all the on-track action from Shanghai including Free Practice and Sprint Qualifying, where George Russell delivered a stunning lap to take Sprint Pole for Mercedes, leading a surprise Mercedes front row lockout with rookie Kimi Antonelli.Is Mercedes already the team to beat in 2026?We analyse the key moments from Friday including:• Sprint Qualifying results and full grid breakdown• Why Mercedes looked dominant again in Shanghai• Lewis Hamilton P4 for Ferrari and what it means for the sprint race• Lando Norris strong in P3 for McLaren• Max Verstappen struggling in P8 and Red Bull’s early season issues• The impact of the long Shanghai straight and new 2026 power units• Early signs of the energy deployment strategy battle between teams• What to expect from the F1 Sprint Race and Grand Prix qualifying tomorrowWith the first Sprint Weekend of the season underway, the competitive order of the new Formula One era is starting to take shape — and the fight between Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull is already heating up.Subscribe to No Lift F1 for daily Formula 1 news, race previews, qualifying reactions, sprint race analysis and Grand Prix breakdowns throughout the 2026 F1 season.