2026 Chinese GP Qualifying Results
Every car frozen on the finish line, with each gap to Kimi Antonelli’s pole shown to scale in real metres. Qualifying at Shanghai, round 2.
Open the interactive 3D Gap Visualizer →Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying: what happened
Kimi Antonelli took pole for the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying with a 1:32.064 for Mercedes at Shanghai. George Russell (Mercedes) was 0.222s behind, and at racing speed that is 19.0 m of track between them as they crossed the line.
Lewis Hamilton completed the top three for Ferrari, 0.351s off Kimi Antonelli. Across the whole classified order the field spread out to 414.3 m, from Kimi Antonelli to Sergio Perez.
The closest call of the session was between Nico Hulkenberg and Franco Colapinto: 0.003s apart, about 0.26 m at speed.
| # | Driver | Team | Lap time | Gap | Behind (to scale) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 1:32.064 | Pole | — |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1:32.286 | +0.222 | 19.0 m |
| 3 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 1:32.415 | +0.351 | 30.0 m |
| 4 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 1:32.428 | +0.364 | 31.1 m |
| 5 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:32.550 | +0.486 | 41.6 m |
| 6 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 1:32.608 | +0.544 | 46.5 m |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1:32.873 | +0.809 | 69.2 m |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 1:33.002 | +0.938 | 80.3 m |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull Racing | 1:33.121 | +1.057 | 90.4 m |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 Team | 1:33.292 | +1.228 | 105.1 m |
| 11 | Nico Hulkenberg | Audi | 1:33.354 | +1.290 | 110.4 m |
| 12 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1:33.357 | +1.293 | 110.6 m |
| 13 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 Team | 1:33.538 | +1.474 | 126.1 m |
| 14 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 1:33.765 | +1.701 | 145.5 m |
| 15 | Arvid Lindblad | Racing Bulls | 1:33.784 | +1.720 | 147.2 m |
| 16 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Audi | 1:33.965 | +1.901 | 162.6 m |
| 17 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 1:34.317 | +2.253 | 192.8 m |
| 18 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 1:34.772 | +2.708 | 231.7 m |
| 19 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 1:35.203 | +3.139 | 268.6 m |
| 20 | Valtteri Bottas | Cadillac | 1:35.436 | +3.372 | 288.5 m |
| 21 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 1:35.995 | +3.931 | 336.3 m |
| 22 | Sergio Perez | Cadillac | 1:36.906 | +4.842 | 414.3 m |
How big is the gap, really?
Kimi Antonelli took qualifying pole at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.064. On the timesheet the field looks bunched into tenths, but at racing speed those tenths stretch out: from pole to Sergio Perez the field covers 414.3 m. Open the 3D visualizer to see it to scale, car by car.
Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Qualifying: your questions
- Who took pole at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) took pole at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 qualifying with a 1:32.064 at Shanghai.
- How close was qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Kimi Antonelli beat George Russell to pole by 0.222s. At racing speed that margin is 19.0 m of track. Across the whole field, from pole to Sergio Perez in P22, the spread is 4.842s or 414.3 m.
- How far behind was George Russell at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- George Russell (Mercedes) qualified P2 in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.286, 0.222s behind Kimi Antonelli's pole. Converted to distance at racing speed, that is 19.0 m of track behind.
- How far behind was Lewis Hamilton at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) qualified P3 in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.415, 0.351s behind Kimi Antonelli's pole. Converted to distance at racing speed, that is 30.0 m of track behind.
- How far behind was Charles Leclerc at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) qualified P4 in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.428, 0.364s behind Kimi Antonelli's pole. Converted to distance at racing speed, that is 31.1 m of track behind.
- How far behind was Oscar Piastri at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren) qualified P5 in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.550, 0.486s behind Kimi Antonelli's pole. Converted to distance at racing speed, that is 41.6 m of track behind.
- How far behind was Lando Norris at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026?
- Lando Norris (McLaren) qualified P6 in qualifying at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 with a 1:32.608, 0.544s behind Kimi Antonelli's pole. Converted to distance at racing speed, that is 46.5 m of track behind.
- How much is a tenth of a second in metres at Shanghai?
- On this lap a tenth of a second is worth roughly 8.6 m of track. That is why George Russell's 0.222s at the Chinese Grand Prix 2026 puts 19.0 m between the cars on the finish line.