Preview
SHANGHAI PREVIEW: Talking points ahead of Round 1
The wait is finally over as the F1 ACADEMY paddock heads to Shanghai in China for Round 1 of what promises to be an exhilarating 2026 season.
18 drivers across six teams will all have their sights set on delivering from the get-go, with the Shanghai International Circuit hosting the season opener for the second consecutive year.
As the race to be crowned the 2026 Champion begins, here are all the key storylines you’ll want to keep an eye on this weekend…
MEET THE GRID
All 17 full-time seats are locked in for the campaign ahead, with a talented mix of returning faces, former Wild Card graduates and a new crop of rookies all looking to impress.
Six second-year drivers are amongst the early favourites, including four race winners. McLaren’s Ella Lloyd has a target on her back as last year’s Top Rookie, while Champions Doriane Pin and Abbi Pulling both reckon Red Bull Racing’s Alisha Palmowski could be the one to beat. Alba Larsen, Nina Gademan, Emma Felbermayr and Rafaela Ferreira also look poised to challenge at the front.
There’s no shortage of rookies determined to make an immediate impact. Wild Cards Ava Dobson, Mathilda Paatz, Esmee Kosterman, Lisa Billard and Payton Westcott, along with one-off debutantes Megan Bruce and Rachel Robertson will all want to prove they’re capable of racing at the sharp end.
Of the 11 rookies, Natalia Granada, Ella Stevens, Kaylee Countryman and Jade Jacquet are facing their first F1 ACADEMY weekend and will use Round 1 as a benchmark to measure themselves against the rest of the field.
SIX TEAMS SEARCHING FOR GLORY
All six teams appear to be in strong form, setting the stage for a competitive season ahead. Reigning Champions PREMA Racing face a mighty defence ahead of them, with their trio of rookies aiming to follow in Doriane Pin’s footsteps.
Campos Racing, MP Motorsport and Rodin Motorsport are all expected to be in the hunt. Each reunites with two drivers from last year, giving them an invaluable baseline to build off of. ART Grand Prix and Hitech field five rookies between them and should be in a prime position to capitalise on the reverse grid races.
Last year, 11 drivers across all six teams scored points in the season opener, but the spread of points was uneven. Hitech and ART managed one and two points respectively, establishing a significant gulf between them and leading point scorers Campos’ 50-point haul. Can the chasing teams close the gap and shake up the order in Shanghai?
SHANGHAI WELL-SUITED FOR SOME
The Shanghai International Circuit presents a demanding test of the drivers’ skills behind the wheel at the earliest stage. The 5.451km layout — designed to resemble the Chinese symbol for ‘shang’, meaning upwards — throws challenges at them from the very first corner sequence.
Turns 1 to 4 require precision, awareness and a healthy dose of bravery as the pack funnels through a tightening section of track. Rising up through the first two corners, they need to sharply dart left to hit the apex for Turns 3 and 4. With four Safety Car appearances here last year, steering clear of trouble early on across the two 13-lap races may prove more critical than outright pace.
Tyre management will also be key as they approach the 1.2km stretch between Turns 13 and 14. The longest straight on the calendar, the field need to keep some life in their Pirelli rubber to avoid being swallowed up by those behind.
Last year, the circuit was a happy hunting ground for several of our now-second year drivers. Palmowski fought off teammate Chloe Chambers to take her maiden win, with Gademan having been the long-time leader of Race 1 before retiring with a technical issue. Larsen impressed with P3 on her Qualifying debut and scored her joint best result of P4 in Race 2, with Felbermayr close at hand with a top-five finish.