Formula 1
Why McLaren's F1 title defence has started so horribly
McLaren's F1 title defence has begun miserably, and it faces bigger problems than the embarrassment of both cars failing to start in China
Formula 1 2026 Championship Standings
Driver Standings
Pos
Driver
Team
Pts
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9
R10
R11
R12
R13
R14
R15
R16
R17
R18
R19
R20
R21
R22
1
George Russell
51
25
26
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
47
18
29
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
Charles Leclerc
34
15
19
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
Lewis Hamilton
33
12
21
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
Oliver Bearman
17
6
11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
Lando Norris
15
10
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Pierre Gasly
9
1
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
Max Verstappen
8
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Liam Lawson
8
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Arvid Lindblad
4
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
Isack Hadjar
4
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
12
Oscar Piastri
3
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
13
Carlos Sainz
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
14
Gabriel Bortoleto
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
15
Franco Colapinto
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
16
Esteban Ocon
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
17
Nico Hülkenberg
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
18
Alex Albon
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
19
Valtteri Bottas
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20
Sergio Pérez
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
21
Fernando Alonso
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
22
Lance Stroll
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Team Standings
Pos
Team
Pts
R1
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
R7
R8
R9
R10
R11
R12
R13
R14
R15
R16
R17
R18
R19
R20
R21
R22
1
Mercedes
98
43
55
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
Ferrari
67
27
40
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
McLaren
18
10
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
Haas
17
6
11
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
Red Bull
12
8
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
Racing Bulls
12
4
8
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
Alpine
10
1
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
Audi
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
Williams
2
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
Cadillac
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
11
Aston Martin
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Australian Grand Prix - Free practice
Pos
Driver
Team
Fastest Lap
1
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:20.267
2
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:20.736
3
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:20.789
4
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:21.087
5
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:21.313
6
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:21.342
7
George Russell
Mercedes
1:21.371
8
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:21.376
9
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:21.696
10
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:21.969
11
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:22.161
12
Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:22.323
13
Liam Lawson
RB
1:22.613
14
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:22.682
15
Alex Albon
Williams
1:23.130
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:23.325
17
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:24.022
18
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:24.035
19
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:24.391
20
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
1:24.620
21
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:50.334
Australian Grand Prix - Free practice
Pos
Driver
Team
Fastest Lap
1
George Russell
Mercedes
1:19.053
2
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:19.669
3
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:19.827
4
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:20.087
5
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:20.137
6
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:20.197
7
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:20.324
8
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:20.443
9
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:20.459
10
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:20.778
11
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:20.838
12
Liam Lawson
RB
1:20.890
13
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:20.983
14
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:21.067
15
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:21.071
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:21.413
17
Alex Albon
Williams
1:21.664
18
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:22.720
19
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:23.514
20
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
1:24.397
21
Carlos Sainz
Williams
-
Australian Grand Prix - Qualifying
Pos
Driver
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
1
George Russell
Mercedes
1:19.507
1:18.934
1:18.518
2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:20.120
1:19.435
1:18.811
3
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:20.023
1:19.653
1:19.303
4
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:20.226
1:19.357
1:19.327
5
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:19.664
1:19.525
1:19.380
6
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:20.010
1:19.882
1:19.475
7
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:19.811
1:19.921
1:19.478
8
Liam Lawson
RB
1:20.491
1:20.144
1:19.994
9
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:20.409
1:19.971
1:21.247
10
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:20.495
1:20.221
-
11
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:21.024
1:20.303
-
12
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:21.247
1:20.311
-
13
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:20.759
1:20.491
-
14
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:21.138
1:20.501
-
15
Alex Albon
Williams
1:21.051
1:20.941
-
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:21.200
1:21.270
-
17
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:21.969
-
-
18
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
1:22.605
-
-
19
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:23.244
-
-
Australian Grand Prix - Race
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Time
Gap
1
George Russell
Mercedes
25
1:23:06.801
-
2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
18
1:23:09.775
-
3
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
15
1:23:22.320
-
4
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
12
1:23:22.945
-
5
Lando Norris
McLaren
10
1:23:58.542
-
6
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
8
1:24:01.418
-
7
Oliver Bearman
Haas
6
1:23:11.394
-
8
Arvid Lindblad
RB
4
1:23:18.617
-
9
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
2
1:23:19.576
-
10
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1
1:23:35.828
-
11
Esteban Ocon
Haas
0
1:23:36.651
-
12
Alex Albon
Williams
0
1:24:02.876
-
13
Liam Lawson
RB
0
1:24:03.974
-
14
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
0
1:23:15.288
-
15
Carlos Sainz
Williams
0
1:23:43.687
-
16
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
0
1:23:14.651
-
17
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
0
1:24:27.834
-
18
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
0
48:25.789
-
19
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
0
24:31.911
-
20
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
0
14:25.525
-
21
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
0
-
-
22
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
0
-
-
Chinese Grand Prix - Free practice
Pos
Driver
Team
Fastest Lap
1
George Russell
Mercedes
1:32.741
2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:32.861
3
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:33.296
4
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:33.472
5
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:33.599
6
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:34.129
7
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:34.426
8
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:34.541
9
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:34.639
10
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:34.676
11
Liam Lawson
RB
1:34.773
12
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:34.828
13
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:34.856
14
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:34.877
15
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:34.947
16
Alex Albon
Williams
1:35.480
17
Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:35.679
18
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:35.856
19
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:36.057
20
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:37.224
21
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:37.896
22
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
1:39.200
Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying
Pos
Driver
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
1
George Russell
Mercedes
1:33.030
1:32.241
1:31.520
2
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:33.455
1:32.291
1:31.809
3
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:33.783
1:33.086
1:32.141
4
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:33.148
1:33.042
1:32.161
5
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:33.813
1:33.038
1:32.224
6
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:33.194
1:32.602
1:32.528
7
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:33.970
1:33.405
1:32.888
8
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:34.170
1:33.564
1:33.254
9
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:34.280
1:33.501
1:33.409
10
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:34.447
1:33.620
1:33.723
11
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:33.997
1:33.635
-
12
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:34.087
1:33.639
-
13
Liam Lawson
RB
1:34.110
1:33.714
-
14
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:34.291
1:33.774
-
15
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:34.495
1:34.048
-
16
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:34.592
1:34.327
-
17
Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:34.761
-
-
18
Alex Albon
Williams
1:35.305
-
-
19
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:35.581
-
-
20
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:36.151
-
-
21
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:37.378
-
-
22
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
-
-
-
Chinese Grand Prix - Sprint
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Time
Gap
1
George Russell
Mercedes
8
33:38.998
-
2
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
7
33:39.672
+0:00.674
3
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
6
33:41.552
+0:01.880
4
Lando Norris
McLaren
5
33:43.431
+0:01.879
5
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
4
33:44.686
+0:01.255
6
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
3
33:45.807
+0:01.121
7
Liam Lawson
RB
2
33:49.898
+0:04.091
8
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1
33:50.269
+0:00.371
9
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
0
33:50.617
+0:00.348
10
Esteban Ocon
Haas
0
33:52.885
+0:02.268
11
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
0
33:53.778
+0:00.893
12
Carlos Sainz
Williams
0
33:54.751
+0:00.973
13
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
0
33:54.856
+0:00.105
14
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
0
33:55.391
+0:00.535
15
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
0
33:55.428
+0:00.037
16
Alex Albon
Williams
0
33:59.012
+0:03.584
17
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
0
34:00.597
+0:01.585
18
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
0
34:00.969
+0:00.372
19
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
0
34:07.239
+0:06.270
20
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
0
20:05.858
-
21
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
0
20:58.952
-
22
Arvid Lindblad
RB
0
18:55.284
-
Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying
Pos
Driver
Team
Q1
Q2
Q3
1
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
1:33.305
1:32.443
1:32.064
2
George Russell
Mercedes
1:33.262
1:32.523
1:32.286
3
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
1:33.522
1:32.567
1:32.415
4
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
1:33.175
1:32.486
1:32.428
5
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
1:33.590
1:33.130
1:32.550
6
Lando Norris
McLaren
1:33.535
1:32.910
1:32.608
7
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
1:33.788
1:33.003
1:32.873
8
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
1:33.417
1:33.098
1:33.002
9
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
1:33.632
1:33.352
1:33.121
10
Oliver Bearman
Haas
1:33.687
1:33.197
1:33.292
11
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
1:34.116
1:33.354
-
12
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1:33.634
1:33.357
-
13
Esteban Ocon
Haas
1:33.974
1:33.538
-
14
Liam Lawson
RB
1:34.139
1:33.765
-
15
Arvid Lindblad
RB
1:33.906
1:33.784
-
16
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
1:33.549
1:33.965
-
17
Carlos Sainz
Williams
1:34.317
-
-
18
Alex Albon
Williams
1:34.772
-
-
19
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
1:35.203
-
-
20
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
1:35.436
-
-
21
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
1:35.995
-
-
22
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
1:36.906
-
-
Chinese Grand Prix - Race
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Time
Gap
1
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Mercedes
25
1:33:15.607
-
2
George Russell
Mercedes
18
1:33:21.122
+0:05.515
3
Lewis Hamilton
Ferrari
15
1:33:40.874
+0:19.752
4
Charles Leclerc
Ferrari
12
1:33:44.501
+0:03.627
5
Oliver Bearman
Haas
10
1:34:12.875
+0:28.374
6
Pierre Gasly
Alpine
8
1:34:15.254
+0:02.379
7
Liam Lawson
RB
6
1:34:36.195
+0:20.941
8
Isack Hadjar
Red Bull
4
1:34:42.854
+0:06.659
9
Carlos Sainz
Williams
2
1:33:27.280
+00:00.0
10
Franco Colapinto
Alpine
1
1:33:28.010
+0:00.730
11
Nico Hülkenberg
Audi
0
1:33:36.716
+0:08.706
12
Arvid Lindblad
RB
0
1:33:38.435
+0:01.719
13
Valtteri Bottas
Cadillac
0
1:34:11.765
+0:33.330
14
Esteban Ocon
Haas
0
1:34:21.863
+0:10.098
15
Sergio Pérez
Cadillac
0
1:34:30.248
+0:08.385
16
Max Verstappen
Red Bull
0
1:17:26.297
-
17
Fernando Alonso
Aston Martin
0
56:39.583
-
18
Lance Stroll
Aston Martin
0
15:19.929
-
19
Lando Norris
McLaren
0
-
-
20
Oscar Piastri
McLaren
0
-
-
21
Gabriel Bortoleto
Audi
0
-
-
22
Alex Albon
Williams
0
-
-
