It's a new year, and as we've seen in Australia, many are getting to grips with their cars, as they try to manage all of the new regulations and units that they need to ensure they can be within a chance of winning.

With the race taking place on Sunday, March 15, at 18:00 AEDT, let's preview the upcoming race…

Quick Picks

Our pick: Russell to win/each-way

Value bet: Russell to have the fastest lap

Long shot: Verstappen in the each-way

Betting Preview

George Russell will be among the early favourites to edge this race, as Mercedes appear to have an engine edge under the new rules. However, it's important not to rule out the likes of Red Bull's Max Verstappen and McLaren's duo, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Piastri won last year's race at the Shanghai International Circuit, having started on pole position. Norris would finish second, despite recording the fastest lap with a time of 1:35.454 on lap 53. Russell finished third on that occasion, but has had significant upgrades this year. Verstappen started fourth and would finish in that position, some 16 seconds behind the eventual winner.

It's worth noting that last year's race also saw three drivers (Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton, and Pierre Gasly) be disqualified, while Fernando Alonso had to retire after just four laps due to issues with his brakes.

Only three drivers have multiple successes at this track: Hamilton (6 wins), Alonso and Nico Rosberg (both twice). Mercedes are the most successful, with six wins. Ferrari and McLaren both have four, while Red Bull has three.

Betting Markets to Watch

Given that Mercedes have a strong record at the Chinese GP and Russell appears to have an engine edge over many of his rivals, we think there's value in backing the British driver to emerge victorious in this race.

We also think there's value in Russell having the fastest lap. With the edge that he has, there has been a lot of excitement about what they can achieve. Early 2026 buzz highlights Mercedes' superior energy deployment in Shanghai's DRS zones, which are key to late-race fastest laps. Understanding how F1 strategy works can help explain why these zones matter so much.

As an each-way, Norris is going to be a name worth considering. He was strong at this race last year, but was beaten by teammate Piastri by almost 10 seconds. He has since improved and is the defending F1 Driver's Champion.

Our Prediction

Check the latest Formula 1 betting odds at Sportsbet.

Our top pick for the 2026 Chinese F1 Grand Prix is for Russell to win as an each-way bet. He offers good value and appears to have an edge that is too significant to ignore in this race.

Verstappen can never be ruled out as a long shot, but with Red Bull's concerns following the changes, even a podium spot offers value, as this is far from guaranteed. For a full rundown of where the season heads next, check out the Formula 1 2026 schedule.

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