George Russell put Mercedes on top in the only free practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, edging out rookie sensation Kimi Antonelli as Ferrari were left battling instability and fresh concerns over their new wing package.
With the Sprint format reducing running to just one hour, teams wasted no time in getting down to business at Shanghai. The smooth surface and expected graining once again looked set to play a major role, but it was Ferrari’s latest technical update that stole much of the early attention.
The Scuderia arrived in China with a new rear wing, nicknamed the “Macarena”, earlier than originally expected. It had been tipped for a debut in Bahrain, yet it was already being put through its paces in Shanghai. The system, which reportedly takes 400 milliseconds to move from fully open to fully closed, quickly became a talking point for the wrong reasons.
Lewis Hamilton endured a worrying moment with a spin, while Charles Leclerc was instructed by the Ferrari pit wall to close the wing earlier into Turns 5 and 11. Early signs suggest the new solution is causing too much turbulence during the closing phase, leaving both drivers short on confidence.
Russell clocked a best lap of 1:32.741 to finish fastest, just over a tenth clear of Antonelli, in another encouraging showing for Mercedes. McLaren also looked sharp, with Lando Norris ahead of Oscar Piastri, while Ferrari had to settle for fifth with Leclerc and sixth with Hamilton.
Leclerc in particular appeared to be fighting the rear of the car throughout the session, and Ferrari’s overall lack of stability will be a concern heading into Sprint qualifying.
Red Bull, meanwhile, endured a subdued start. Max Verstappen could only manage eighth place, while Racing Bulls also ran into trouble after Lindblad was forced to stop.
There was also renewed chatter in the paddock over Mercedes power units and the ongoing debate surrounding customer teams. The feeling remains that while Mercedes supplies the hardware and engineering support, it is still up to the client teams to ask the right questions and unlock the full potential.
For now though, the headline from Shanghai is clear. Mercedes look sharp, McLaren are in the mix, and Ferrari have work to do if their latest innovation is to become an advantage rather than a headache.
