George Russell won a breathless sprint for Mercedes on Saturday at the Chinese Grand Prix, with the first 100km dash in the new era of Formula One witnessing a late safety car and multiple lead changes. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was second and his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who won the sprint in Shanghai 12 months ago, crossed the line third to complete the podium. A safety car on lap 13 of the 19 saw the entire field dive into the pits for fresh tyres, with leader Russell emerging still in front. Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes had been third but served a 10-second penalty in the pit lane for causing an earlier collision which dropped him to seventh place and he eventually finished fifth.

World champion Lando Norris was fourth in his McLaren and his teammate Oscar Piastri sixth.

Liam Lawson in his RB and Oliver Bearman in the Haas were seventh and eighth respectively to round out the points scorers.

The Ferrari of Hamilton earlier had a brilliant launch off the start line, moving from fourth to second and then swapping the lead with Russell twice on the opening lap.

Hamilton emerged in front early on the second lap as his teammate Leclerc put pressure on Russell.

Antonelli in the second Mercedes had a disastrous start, dropping from the front row alongside pole-siter Russell all the way down to seventh.

Russell and Hamilton were having a ding-dong battle at the front, trading places at the front multiple times in the opening five laps, with Leclerc hot on their heels in third.

Russell eventually began to pull away in front leaving the Ferrari pair to squabble for second. 

Hamilton’s tyres had taken a lot of punishment in the early skirmishes and Leclerc took advantage by passing his Ferrari teammate late on lap nine.

The McLaren pair of world champion Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri had settled into fourth and fifth but were a considerable distance behind the front three.

Antonelli began to claw his way back through the field after his poor start but received his 10-second time penalty for causing a collision on the opening lap.

The 19-year-old Italian passed both McLarens and closed in on the Ferraris from fourth and by lap 11 he had overtaken Hamilton before the safety car two laps later and his penalty relegated him.

Four-time champion Max Verstappen had fumed on Friday that the “whole day has been a disaster” after coming eighth both in practice and in sprint qualifying.

His mood will not have been improved by a dreadful start as his engine revs dropped and found himself down in 13th at the halfway stage of the sprint.

He eventually placed ninth, out of the points.

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