Formula 1 in 2025: How to watch the Chinese Grand Prix on TV and what to know

SHANGHAI (AP) — Here is a guide that tells you everything you need to know about Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix — the second race in the 2025 Formula 1 series.

How to watch the Chinese Grand Prix on TV

— In the U.S., ESPN.

— Other countries are listed here.

What is the Chinese Grand Prix schedule?

— Saturday: Sprint race and qualifying for the Grand Prix.

— Sunday: The Chinese Grand Prix.

Where is the Chinese Grand Prix taking place?

The 5.45-kilometer (3.39-mile) Shanghai International Circuit is a purpose-built race track that first hosted F1 in 2004. Its layout resembles the Chinese character “shang” — the first part of the name of the city of Shanghai. Max Verstappen had a commanding win there last season ahead of Lando Norris, but teams have little recent experience of a track that didn’t host F1 from 2020 through 2023 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What happened last weekend?

Norris won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix for McLaren after overcoming a slide off-track in the rain and a late challenge from second-place Verstappen. George Russell was third for Mercedes. Norris’ teammate and potential title rival Oscar Piastri spun off the road and recovered to finish ninth after a late overtake on Lewis Hamilton, who was 10th in his debut for Ferrari.

What do I need to know about F1 and the Chinese Grand Prix?

Get caught up:

— McLaren’s Piastri takes his first F1 pole at Chinese GP. Hamilton to start fifth

— Lewis Hamilton wins Chinese F1 Sprint race for his first Ferrari victory

— Lewis Hamilton wins sprint pole position in China days after a disappointing F1 debut for Ferrari

— Hamilton wants a faster Ferrari to challenge McLaren

— McLaren has ominous pace, Lewis Hamilton has work to do: 5 takeaways from F1’s season-opener

— McLaren’s Lando Norris wins wet and wild Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton finishes 10th

— Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari is having a cultural impact far beyond Formula 1

— Meet Formula 1’s biggest rookie class in years

Key stats at Shanghai International Circuit

3 — Only three current drivers have won in China. Verstappen won last year and Hamilton won six times for McLaren and Mercedes from 2008 to 2019. Fernando Alonso, now at Aston Martin, won for Renault in 2005 and Ferrari in 2013.

63 — Verstappen led the driver standings for 63 straight races over nearly three years. Now Norris leads after his win in Australia. The last driver other than Verstappen to be standings leader was Charles Leclerc in 2022.

18 — Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s age when he became the second-youngest driver in F1 history to score points in Australia on his debut.

Piastri takes pole position

McLaren’s Oscar Piastri scored his maiden pole position in Formula 1 ahead of Mercedes’ George Russell. The 23-year-old Australian was second in Saturday morning’s Sprint race and says he’s “pretty pumped” to go one better Sunday, with the major challenge being tire wear. Lando Norris will start ahead of his expected title rival Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in fourth. Sprint winner Lewis Hamilton starts fifth for Ferrari ahead of teammate Charles Leclerc.

What was said after qualifying?

“On the second lap, I was about two-tenths down on myself. So, I kind of just went ‘why not send it into the hairpin’ and I gained those back, and found a little bit more in the last corner. I was tempted to box before that, so I’m pretty happy now that I didn’t.” — Piastri

“Oscar’s shown great pace. I definitely haven’t.” — Norris

Sprint race on Saturday

In Saturday’s 19-lap sprint race, Lewis Hamilton won his first race for Ferrari with a wire-to-wire victory from pole position following an early duel with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen. Hamilton got a great start to take the lead into turn one, and managed the gap to Verstappen, until the Dutchman was passed for second on lap 15 by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri. The pair completed the podium.

What was said after Sprint race?

“Obviously it’s a sprint race, is not the main race, but even just think to get that — it’s just a good stepping stone to where I’m working towards.” — Hamilton

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