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Hello and a very warm welcome to the late-breaking F-1 podcast presented by Harry Eid, Sam Sage, and me, Ben Hocking, here for the second preview of the 2026 season. It's the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, Sam. They come out of them thick and fast early on in this season.

We just left Australia, not quite literally, and we're already off to China.

I'm glad we're getting another crack at these new regulations so quickly.

A lot of conversation going about people despising them, whether drivers like them or not.

You know, the audience isn't convinced you've got controversial with F1 talking about overtakes online. I'm glad we get another race quickly. I think it'll be good to see these cars in action again, really kind of cement whether these are going well or if it's not. I'm excited. I like the Chinese Grand Prix. I think it often delivers a good race. So, yeah, I'm glad we've got another one so quickly. And more importantly, it's a sprint weekend. Oh, no, I forgot about that. No, mind. Yeah, I agree. I think it's going to be, it's good to see these cars back in action straight away. And I think hopefully a circuit where region, battery region, energy region will be a little bit better than it was in Australia. That back straight feels me with a lot of dread, though. It's a quote, Max Verstappen. Have you seen the straight they've got there? Oh no. We will soon find out. Yes, this is race six. Race six? No. No, it's not. What a whole? It is race two of the 2026 season.

Good job, Ben.

Yeah, the Chinese GP first appeared on the calendar back in 2004.

It's been a constant on the calendar, with the exception of a four-year absence a few years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The track is known for a number of sweeping corners.

Most notably, I'd say the first four corners, that complex that opens the lap.

But the Shanghai circuit is also home to one of the longest straights in F1 between turns 13 and 14, and as Harry's already referenced, no doubt keeping as much energy as you possibly

can for that straight is going to be

at the top of the priority list for these teams. The weather looks cooler than what we had in Melbourne.

And at the moment, it looks fairly dry, but there is rain predicted for the early part of next week.

So, we're quite early on in the week as we're recording this. So who knows, maybe things will change.

Our first sprint of 2026 as well, which we'll chat about a little bit later on in the show.

Last year, it was Hamilton and Ferrari that won the sprint, Piazzi and McLaren, who won the main race.

But at this very early point in the season, it's Mercedes, who have the advantage following

George Russell and Kimmy Antinelli's one to finish, respectively, at the Australian GP.

So that's where we'll start this week's preview, Sam.

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