🏁 CHINA GP PREVIEW – EL BOX DE FRANCO

The first Sprint weekend of the year and new regulations make this a key event for quick adaptation

Published

12 Mar 2026

Est. reading time

3 min

🇨🇳 Shanghái, China | Round 2

A different kind of race weekend

Franco arrives at the Chinese Grand Prix after the opening round of the season in Australia, with the team analysing the first data of the year and continuing to understand how the car behaves in this new phase of Formula 1. The Shanghai event also marks the first Sprint weekend of the season, which completely changes the way the team works on track.

There will be only one practice session, followed immediately by Sprint Qualifying on Friday. With the recent regulations and limited track time, every lap will be crucial to optimise the car’s balance before moving straight into competitive sessions.

The challenge at the Shanghai International Circuit comes from its unique layout, combining very technical sections with one of the longest straights on the calendar. Finding the right compromise between aerodynamic downforce and top speed will be essential.

🕒 Chinese Grand Prix Schedule (Shanghai)

Friday, 13 March

FP1: 11:30 🇨🇳 / 00:30 🇦🇷 Sprint Quali: 15:30 🇨🇳 / 04:30 🇦🇷

Saturday, 14 March

Sprint: 11:00 🇨🇳 / 00:00 🇦🇷 Quali: 15:00 🇨🇳 / 04:00 🇦🇷

Sunday, 15 March

Race: 15:00 🇨🇳 / 04:00 🇦🇷

Key Circuit Facts

- Length: 5.451 km - Corners: 16 - Race distance: 305.066 km - First F1 race: 2004 - Has Franco raced here before? No. This will be his first time in Shanghai, so the FranClub’s support will be more important than ever.

A circuit that blends technique and speed

The Shanghai layout has a very distinctive character within the Formula 1 calendar.

- Technical sector: Turns 1 to 4, a sequence that tightens progressively and demands great precision on entry. - High-speed zone: The straight between Turns 13 and 14, around 1.2 km long, one of the longest on the calendar. - Iconic corner: Turn 1, one of the most complex corners of the season due to its changing radius.

The first sector often makes the difference, as drivers must carry speed while the corner radius tightens, punishing any imbalance in the car. Tyre degradation is usually moderate, particularly due to the lateral loads through long corners such as Turns 1, 7 and 8. Qualifying is important, but Shanghai also offers good overtaking opportunities thanks to the long straight and heavy braking zones.

👉 The main objective: maximise every minute on track

The priority this weekend will be making the most of every minute on track, especially during the only practice session. On a Sprint weekend the margin for experimentation is minimal, so finding a competitive set-up from the start can make a significant difference for the rest of the event.

The FranClub gets ready

Throughout the weekend there will be exclusive content inside the FC43 app to follow Franco in every session. Turn on notifications so you don’t miss anything and support him throughout the Grand Prix using #FranClub43 on social media.

再见 Zài jiàn (Goodbye) FranClub! 🩵

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