Get ready for more Formula 1 action as the circus heads straight from Melbourne to Shanghai for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix! Following an eventful start to the season in Australia, this weekend promises to deliver more thrills as it hosts the first Sprint weekend of the year.
The race will be held at the Shanghai International Circuit, which has been a staple on the F1 calendar since 2004. This circuit is known for its high tyre wear and long back straight where there is plenty of overtaking into the Turn 14 hairpin. The track also features a generally smooth track surface and long, high-speed corners that will favour cars with the best aerodynamics. The track itself is 5.451 kilometres long and the main Grand Prix will consist of 56 laps, covering a race distance of 305.066 km. The Sprint race on Saturday will be 19 laps long, covering 103.569 km.
Unlike the unpredictable weather in Melbourne, the forecast for Shanghai looks promising for uninterrupted racing. Expect a sunny weekend with peak air temperatures around 23°C and little wind. While some sources suggest potential cloud cover on Sunday with increased highs and a small chance of light showers after the chequered flag, the current outlook points towards dry conditions for all sessions.
Coming off the back of the Australian Grand Prix, where Lando Norris secured a memorable victory for McLaren, there are plenty of storylines to follow. Norris will be looking to carry that momentum, while Max Verstappen will undoubtedly be aiming for a comeback. McLaren, with Oscar Piastri, showed strong pace in Melbourne, securing a front-row lockout. The question remains whether their advantage will hold true on the more conventional Shanghai circuit.
Meanwhile, Ferrari drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be hoping for a much stronger weekend after a disappointing race in Melbourne. There are reports that Ferrari struggled with their car setup in Australia, and this weekend will be a crucial indicator of their true competitiveness.
This being a Sprint weekend, the format is slightly different. Here is the schedule for the weekend in UK time:
Thursday, March 20:
5am: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday, March 21:
1am: F1 Academy Practice
3am (session starts at 3.30am): Chinese GP Practice One
5.30am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
6am: F1 Academy Qualifying
6.45am (session starts at 7.30am): Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying
Saturday, March 22:
2.25am: Chinese GP Sprint build-up
3am: Chinese GP Sprint
5.45am: F1 Academy Race 1
6.35am: Chinese GP Qualifying build-up
7am: CHINESE GP QUALIFYING
9am: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday, March 23:
2.40am: F1 Academy Race 2
5.30am: Chinese GP build-up: Grand Prix Sunday
7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX
9am: Chinese GP reaction: Chequered flag
10am: Ted’s Notebook
You can watch every session of the Chinese GP live on Sky Sports F1 and Sky Sports Main Event.
Here’s how to watch in the UK and Ireland:
TV: Sky Customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from the first practice session on Friday morning to the Chinese Grand Prix itself on Sunday. Much of the event will also be shown on Sky Sports Main Event.
App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app, with the option to go onboard with any driver! Head to the ‘Watch’ section from 5.30am on Sunday for build-up ahead of the race at 7am.
Stream: Non-Sky customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass. NOW offers access to all 12 Sky Sports channels. You can sign up and stream instantly across over 60 devices.
Live blog: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through the Sky Sports dedicated F1 blog.
FREE Highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app. Free-to-air highlights will also be available on Channel 4 from 1pm GMT on Sunday afternoon.
F1 Academy also begins its new season in Shanghai, so there will be plenty of racing on your screens this week.
Keep an eye on whether McLaren can maintain their early season form, if Ferrari can bounce back, and how the Sprint format will shake up the competitive order. The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix is shaping up to be another exciting chapter in the Formula 1 season!
Frequently Asked Questions: 2025 Chinese Grand Prix
1. When and where will the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix take place? The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix will be held from Friday, March 21st to Sunday, March 23rd at the Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, China. The main race is scheduled for Sunday, March 23rd at 7:00 AM UK time (07:00 GMT).
2. What is the format of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend? The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix will feature the first Sprint weekend of the season. The weekend schedule includes one free practice session on Friday morning, followed by Sprint Qualifying later on Friday. Saturday will see the Sprint Race in the morning and Qualifying for the main Grand Prix in the afternoon. The Grand Prix itself will take place on Sunday morning. F1 Academy also begins its season in Shanghai, adding to the weekend’s racing action.
3. How can I watch the Chinese Grand Prix in the UK? Sky Sports will provide live and comprehensive coverage of the entire Chinese Grand Prix weekend. This includes every session, from the first practice on Friday to the Grand Prix race on Sunday. Coverage will be available on Sky Sports F1 and, for certain sessions including the main race, on Sky Sports Main Event. Sky Sports subscribers can also stream the action live via the Sky Sports app, offering features like onboard camera views. For those without a Sky Sports subscription, NOW offers day or month passes for streaming all Sky Sports channels without a contract. Free highlights of the Grand Prix will be available on the Sky Sports app shortly after the race. Channel 4 will also broadcast free-to-air highlights on Sunday afternoon.
4. What is the weather forecast for the race weekend in Shanghai? The weather forecast for the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix weekend in Shanghai indicates a generally dry and sunny event. Friday and Saturday are expected to be sunny with air temperatures reaching around 23-25 degrees Celsius and a steady breeze. Sunday’s forecast suggests more cloud cover with slightly higher temperatures potentially reaching 26-27 degrees Celsius. While there might be a small chance of light showers very late on Sunday after the race, no significant rain is expected to affect any of the F1 or F1 Academy sessions.
5. What are some key characteristics of the Shanghai International Circuit? The Shanghai International Circuit, which joined the F1 calendar in 2004, is known for its high tyre wear due to its smooth surface and long, high-speed corners, which also favour cars with strong aerodynamics. A notable feature is the long back straight, which provides ample opportunities for overtaking, particularly into the Turn 14 hairpin. The circuit’s layout is unique, with the first sector (Turns 1-4) resembling the Chinese character ‘Shang’.
6. What happened in the opening race in Melbourne and how might it affect the Chinese Grand Prix? The 2025 Formula 1 season began with an eventful race in Melbourne, where McLaren’s Lando Norris secured a victory, holding off reigning champion Max Verstappen. This marked Norris’s first win of the season and put him in the lead of the Drivers’ Championship. Ferrari had a disappointing race in Melbourne, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc finishing outside the top five. The dramatic and potentially unrepresentative nature of the Melbourne race, with mixed conditions and several incidents, means the Chinese Grand Prix, with its more conventional track and settled weather, is expected to provide a clearer indication of the true performance order of the teams, particularly regarding McLaren’s apparent advantage and Ferrari’s performance after a significant car redesign.
7. Which drivers and teams have a strong history at the Chinese Grand Prix? Lewis Hamilton holds the record for the most wins at the Chinese Grand Prix with six victories. Fernando Alonso has won twice, while Max Verstappen won the most recent edition in 2024. In terms of circuit characteristics, the track’s demands on aerodynamics and tyre management often see top teams and skilled drivers perform well. Notably, the 2024 race marked F1’s return to Shanghai after a five-year absence due to the coronavirus pandemic, meaning recent data for the teams is limited compared to other circuits.
8. What are some of the key storylines and questions heading into the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix? Several key questions surround the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. Firstly, can McLaren and Lando Norris maintain their strong performance from Melbourne and demonstrate if their advantage is significant in more ‘normal’ conditions? Secondly, can Oscar Piastri bounce back after a mistake in Australia and challenge his teammate? Thirdly, will Ferrari be able to understand and resolve the setup issues that hampered their performance in the first race? Fourthly, how will Red Bull’s Liam Lawson perform on a circuit he hasn’t raced on before, and can he avoid another Q1 exit? Finally, can Jack Doohan continue to show promising pace for Alpine amid speculation about his seat? The race in Shanghai is highly anticipated as it is expected to provide a more representative picture of the competitive landscape for the 2025 Formula 1 season.
