2026 Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix timetable

After the season opener in Melbourne, teams will quickly shift their focus to the Shanghai International Circuit. The Sprint format means there will be only one practice session before competitive running begins. Friday will feature the opening free practice followed by Sprint Qualifying, which determines the grid for Saturday’s Sprint race.

Saturday’s schedule includes the Sprint race in the morning and traditional qualifying later in the day to decide the starting order for Sunday’s Grand Prix. The weekend concludes on Sunday with the full race distance at the Shanghai International Circuit.

Below is the full timetable of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend in Central European Time (CET):

Friday, March 13
4:30 – 5:30 Free Practice 1
8:30 – 9:14 Sprint Qualifying

Saturday, March 14
4:00 Sprint
8:00 – 9:00 Qualifying

Sunday, March 15
8:00 Grand Prix