The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix have been cancelled, meaning there are currently no races scheduled for April. This comes as violence erupts in the Middle East following the killing of Iran’s leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the end of February. Pirelli was already forced to cancel a pre-season test in Bahrain last month. Bahrain was just one of the countries targeted by retaliatory attacks. Formula One was forced to make the decision on the two races as the deadline for logistics approached. As of now, no replacement venues have been selected, and it’s unlikely any will be due to the tight deadlines. With no end of fighting in sight, the two final races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi may also be at risk, although there is plenty of time for the political situation to change before then.
Max Verstappen will participate in the Nurburgring 24 Hours with Mercedes this May. He will be racing the #3 Mercedes-AMG GT3 for the Winward team alongside Lucas Auer, Jules Gounon, and Daniel Juncadella. This squad will also race in the NLS2 on the weekend of March 21, which was brought forward a week to avoid a clash with the Japanese Grand Prix, at Mercedes’ request.
Several teams are pushing for further changes to the starting procedures to address potential safety concerns. In both races this season, multiple drivers arrived at the starting grid after the formation lap with heavily depleted batteries. This left them with virtually no battery power to deploy on the opening lap. This is, at least in part, due to the FIA’s restriction on how much energy can be recovered per lap. As a result, drivers who push the car hard to warm the tyres will deplete their batteries faster. While there is no word yet on exactly what changes are being proposed, it’s understood that some teams, like Ferrari, are opposing further changes to the starting procedures right now.
Mercedes has joined the list of potential buyers for a stake in the Alpine team, according to advisor Flavio Briatore. This list of buyers includes former Red Bull boss Christian Horner. The interest revolves around the 24% stake that was purchased by Otro Capital, an investment group that includes movie star Ryan Reynolds, back in 2023. At the time, Otro Capital purchased the stake for $233m. However, with the team now worth an estimated $3b, that stake could be worth closer to $720m. Alpine has a closer relationship with Mercedes this year, becoming an engine customer for 2026 after axing its own Renault engine program. The sale of a stake in the team does not impact Renault’s ownership in the team.
George Russell led the way in the only free practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix sprint weekend, outpacing his teammate. It was a busy session as the teams rushed to get ready for the sprint qualifying session in the afternoon. Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton made contact after a brief wheel-to-wheel moment as the McLaren tried to overtake the Ferrari. The stewards deemed that no investigation was necessary. Arvid Lindblad had a mechanical issue that severely limited his track time, as the rookie pulled over at the turn 14 hairpin. This brought out the second virtual safety car, with the first having been for debris earlier in the session. Carlos Sainz was another driver facing technical difficulties, trapped in the garage for much of the first half. Franco Colapinto also suffered a stoppage in the pit lane, forcing his mechanics to come recover the car. Lap times tumbled in the latter half of the session as cars switched to soft tyres. Norris led the way in a McLaren 3-4 while Charles Leclerc led a Ferrari 5-6.
Mercedes continued their strong performance in sprint qualifying, with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli locking out the front row. Sergio Perez failed to set a time in SQ1 due to a fuel system issue. Antonelli caught the attention of the stewards in SQ2 for leaving the garage in front of Lando Norris, although no action was taken by the FIA. Both Red Bull drivers were lucky to advance to SQ3, with Max Verstappen running through the gravel on his final run of SQ2 and Isack Hadjar coming to a halt in the pit lane. Nico Hulkenberg was not as lucky, missing out on SQ3 by just 0.015s. But no one could beat Mercedes in SQ3 as they earned the top spots. Norris was in P3 ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri.
George Russell converted his sprint pole into a sprint victory, although it was not that easy. Kimi Antonelli had another poor start from the front row, leaving his teammate exposed to Lewis Hamilton, who zoomed past into the lead. Hamilton and Russell swapped the lead over multiple laps before Charles Leclerc joined the fight and overtook his teammate for P2. While the Ferrari duo fought over the podium places, Russell was left to build a comfortable gap out front. The race was neutralized by the safety car in the closing laps as Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi came to a stop on track, causing many of the lead cars to pit. Oscar Piastri had a strong restart, climbing up to P5 on the opening lap, but he overtook Antonelli before the start/finish line, forcing him to give back the position to the teenager before the end of the race. Click here to read a full summary of the sprint race action in China.
It was another Mercedes 1-2 on the starting grid after qualifying on Saturday afternoon, but this time it was Kimi Antonelli on pole, becoming the youngest polesitter in F1 history. Charles Leclerc was fastest in Q1, but Antonelli topped both subsequent sessions. George Russell had mechanical woes at the start of Q3, stopping on track in the opening corners and cruising back to the pits stuck in first gear. This meant he would only have time to complete a single flying lap in the closing seconds of the session, although it was enough to clinch P2. Ferrari managed to secure the second row of the grid ahead of McLaren on the third row, with Lewis Hamilton and Oscar Piastri leading the way for their teams.
Kimi Antonelli maintained his lead in the race, becoming the second-youngest F1 winner in another Mercedes 1-2 finish. Numerous cars were unable to start the race, with Alex Albon, Gabriel Bortoleto, and both McLaren drivers trapped in the garage with mechanical issues. Antonelli had a good start, moving over to cover his teammate into the first corner, but the two Ferraris had a better start, moving to the lead around the outside in the first corner. Antonelli hung onto P2 as the corner tightened, and the order was a Mercedes 1-2 again by the end of lap four. After a safety car for the stranded Aston Martin of Lance Stroll, Hamilton began to pressure Russell, who was struggling for grip on the hard tyres. Russell dropped to P4, leaving both Ferrari drivers to battle it out, and they did. The duo duelled in turns 1 and 14, swapping positions over a heated multi-lap fight. Russell’s tyres eventually improved, pushing him past the two Ferraris. Lewis Hamilton got by Charles Leclerc after the Monegasque driver locked up in the hairpin, earning himself his first podium finish with Ferrari. Click here to read a full summary of the Chinese Grand Prix.
After a thrilling start to the 2026 season, the teams and drivers have earned themselves a little break. The next race on the calendar is the Japanese Grand Prix, scheduled for the weekend of March 29.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
