F1 has altered its sprint race schedule once again, with sprint race qualifying shifting to Friday and the sprint race moving to Saturday. The race weekend format then reverts back to a traditional schedule for grand prix qualifying on Saturday afternoon with the grand prix on Sunday. Here’s how the latest sprint race format changes will work.
In sprint race qualifying, McLaren’s Lando Norris grabbed pole position but only after having his best lap time initially deleted and then reinstated for track limit breaches.
Q3 of sprint qualifying was hit by rain which made conditions extremely difficult and slippery, triggering multiple offs, including Charles Leclerc’s glance off the Turn 9 barrier.
Lewis Hamilton will join Norris on the front row of the grid for the Chinese GP sprint race, ahead of Fernando Alonso in third and championship leader Max Verstappen in fourth.
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz will start fifth in front of the sister Red Bull of Sergio Perez and Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri dropped to eighth having hit neutral with a gearbox issue during his final Q3 lap.
It was an impressive showing for Sauber with Valtteri Bottas ninth and home hero Zhou Guanyu in 10th as he becomes the first Chinese driver to compete at his home grand prix.
Zhou Guanyu, Kick Sauber C44
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
What time does the sprint race start for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix?
The sprint race for the Chinese GP starts at 11:00am local time (4:00am BST), covering a distance of 19 laps or 60 minutes.
Date: Saturday 20 April 2024
Start time: 11:00am local time – 4:00am BST
What time does qualifying start for the F1 Chinese Grand Prix?
Grand prix qualifying for the Chinese GP starts at 3:00pm local time (8:00am BST), using the traditional Q1, Q2 and Q3 knockout session format.
Date: Saturday 20 April 2024
Start time: 3:00pm local time – 8:00am BST
How can I watch Formula 1?
In the United Kingdom Formula 1 is broadcast live on Sky Sports, except for the British GP which is shown live on both Sky Sports and Channel 4, with highlights shown on Channel 4 several hours after the race has finished. Live streaming through NOW is also available in the UK.
Sky Sports F1, which broadcasts the F1 races, can be added as part of the Sky Sports channels which costs £18 a month for new customers. Sky Sports can also be accessed through NOW with a one-off day payment of £11.99p or a month membership of £34.99p per month.
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