After a thrilling season-opener in Melbourne, F1 heads straight to Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix and the first Sprint event of the season.
Lando Norris will be full of confidence after his win on Sunday as he held off Max Verstappen in the closing stages with a statement performance.
McLaren are level on 27 points with Mercedes in the Constructors’ Championship thanks to George Russell’s podium and Kimi Antonelli finishing fourth on his F1 debut.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be hoping for a stronger weekend after a disappointing time in Melbourne, where a bad qualifying and wrong strategy left them to pick up the minor points for Ferrari.
A Sprint weekend means there will be competitive sessions from Sprint Qualifying on Friday onwards, and you can watch it all on Sky Sports F1.
F1 Academy also begins its new season in Shanghai, so there will be plenty of racing on your screens this week.
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The moment Sebastien Buemi had both his front tyres explode off his Toro Rosso car during practice at the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix
Chinese GP track – Shanghai International Circuit
China joined the F1 calendar in 2004 and every race has been held at the Shanghai International Circuit, which is known for high tyre wear and long back straight where there is plenty of overtaking into the Turn 14 hairpin.
F1 returned to Shanghai for the first time in five years in 2024, as the event was absent due to the coronavirus pandemic, so there is little recent data for the teams compared to other tracks on the schedule.
The smooth track surface and long, high-speed corners means the car with the best aerodynamics will stand out.
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Karun Chandhok takes a look at the unique track of Shanghai International Circuit
Chinese GP weather in Shanghai
The latest weather forecast for Shanghai shows no rain will affect any of the F1 or F1 Academy running across Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
It is set to be sunny all weekend with an air temperature of 23C at its peak during the afternoon and little wind.
Chinese GP 2025 dates, UK start time and Sky Sports F1’s live schedule
Thursday March 20
- 5am: Drivers’ Press Conference
Friday March 21
- 1am: F1 Academy Practice
- 3am: Chinese GP Practice One (session starts at 3.30am)*
- 5.30am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
- 6am: F1 Academy Qualifying*
- 6.45am: Chinese GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 7.30am)*
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 Saturday*
- 7am: THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX*
- 9am: Chinese GP reaction: Chequered flag*
- 10am: Ted’s Notebook*
*Also on Sky Sports Main Event
How to watch or stream the Chinese Grand Prix in the UK and Ireland
Got Sky?
TV: Sky Customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from the first and only practice session on Friday morning to the Chinese Grand Prix itself on Sunday, March 23 at 7am
App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app – with the option to go onboard with any driver!
Not got Sky?
Stream: Non Sky Customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass
Live blog: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through our dedicated F1 blog
FREE Highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app
How to watch the Chinese GP with the Sky Sports app
Sky Sports Subscribers can:
- Download or open the Sky Sports app
- Head to the ‘Watch’ section at 5.30am for build-up, ahead of lights out at 7am
- Tap on the Sky Sports F1 or Sky Sports Main Event channel
- Sign in with your Sky iD (*you’ll only need to do this once)
*Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD
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The F1 circus heads straight to Shanghai this week for the first Sprint weekend of the season at the Chinese GP, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – No contract, cancel anytime