Autobayng News Team
The new Formula 1 season heads straight into its second consecutive round this weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit.
As has been the case since China returned to the F1 calendar in 2024, this will be a sprint event, meaning teams only get a single hour to practice with their new cars before the first qualifying session of the weekend.
F1 Academy will begin its new season this weekend with two support races alongside the F1 action.
Here’s how to watch the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix live in the UK:
2026 Chinese Grand Prix live session times
| Event | Date | Start Time | End Time | Time Zone | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Grand Prix: First practice | Friday 13th March | 3:30am | 4:30am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: |
| Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint Race Qualifying | Friday 13th March | 7:30am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: | |
| Chinese Grand Prix: Sprint race | Saturday 14th March | 3:00am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: | |
| F1 Academy: Shanghai International Circuit race one | Saturday 14th March | 5:45am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: | |
| Chinese Grand Prix: Qualifying | Saturday 14th March | 7:00am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: | |
| F1 Academy: Shanghai International Circuit race two | Sunday 15th March | 2:40am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: | |
| Chinese Grand Prix: Race | Sunday 15th March | 7:00am | Europe: London | UK: Sky Sports F1, US: |
NB. F1 coverage in the USA is now available on Apple TV.
Having problems using the time zone converter? Please give feedback here
Viewers in Britain can watch Channel 4’s highlights of the race weekend at the following times:
| Event | Date | Time | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprint race qualifying highlights | Friday 13th March | 2:30pm | Channel 4 |
| Grand prix qualifying and sprint race highlights | Saturday 14th March | 2:00pm | Channel 4 |
| Grand prix highlights | Sunday 15th March | 1:00pm | Channel 4 |
Find the local session times and other support race information for the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix here:
Find times for every F1 session this year and all the 2026 race dates with the RaceFans Google Calendar.
2026 Chinese Grand Prix
Published by
Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 – when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring journalist, Keith began running the site full-time in 2010, achieving a long-held ambition to dedicate his full attention to his passion for motor racing. View all posts by Keith Collantine
