With the opening weekend in Melbourne now in the books, Formula 1 is set to head to China, where the Shanghai International Circuit will host the second round of the 2026 season.

The Chinese weekend promises to be particularly intriguing, not only to see whether the pecking order seen in Australia will be confirmed, but also because the first of the season’s six sprint weekends will take place.

It was at this very circuit last year, during the Sprint, that Hamilton claimed what remains his first and only victory with Ferrari so far, although both Scuderia cars were disqualified the following day due to excessive plank wear.

Just like in Melbourne, European fans will once again face some late nights, although Sprint Qualifying, Saturday’s qualifying and Sunday’s race will take place at slightly more manageable hours than last weekend.

The FIA and Formula 1 teams have agreed to wait for more data before considering any immediate changes to the 2026 regulations, with a formal review planned after the Chinese Grand Prix.

Speaking to GPblog and other media in Bahrain, Tombazis revealed that the matter had already been addressed in a meeting held shortly after the test. According to him, the teams unanimously supported maintaining the current regulatory framework for the first part of the season while monitoring how the situation develops on track.