F1 2026 Chinese Grand Prix weather forecast

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Chinese Grand Prix

F1 2026 Chinese Grand Prix weather forecast - latest from Shanghai

The first sprint weekend of the F1 season has arrived

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Thursday 12 March 2026 15:56

F1 returns with the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend, which will mark the second round of the 2026 championship and will be hosted at the Shanghai International Circuit.

The F1 track located in the Jiading District will also be the location for the first sprint weekend of the season, so for those tuning in early from the UK, make sure to set those alarms once again.

With just one hour of practice on Friday ahead of the first sprint qualifying session of the year, the weather will be more important than ever.

Article continues under video

Last time out in Melbourne, we saw Oscar Piastri lose control of his new McLaren before even making it to the formation lap, and that was without the presence of rain.

As the new chassis and power unit regulations continue to bring chaos and controversy to the grid, how will the weather forecast play in to this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix?

Let's take a look.

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Friday, March 13 (FP1 & Sprint Qualifying)

The first day of this year's Chinese GP schedule is set to see clear skies.

FP1 kicks off at 11:30 local time (China Standard Time- CST) and 03:30 GMT with sunshine and mild temperatures of 12 degrees Celsius currently forecast. There is a zero per cent chance of rain and a light wind will be felt from the north-east, with speeds of 13km/h expected.

Temperatures will rise slightly to 15 degrees Celsius for Sprint Qualifying at 15:30 CST (07:30 GMT), but once again, no rain is forecast and light winds will continue.

Saturday, March 14 (Sprint & GP Qualifying)

The jam-packed Saturday schedule in Shanghai is not set to be interrupted by erratic weather as things stand (the cars are unpredictable enough as it is).

The first sprint race of 2026 will kick off at 11:00 CST (03:00 GMT) under similar conditions to Friday's on-track action. Once again temperatures will sit at 15 degrees Celsius but with more cloud forecast to hang over the circuit and south-easterly winds set to reach speeds of 20km/h just in time for the 100km race.

Neither Saturday's sprint or the main race qualifying are currently under threat of being rained off, so fans should be in for some pure, uninterrupted racing and a fair fight for pole.

The main grand prix qualifying will begin at 15:00 CST (07:00 GMT) where the cloud is expected to clear and temperatures are forecast to reach 17 degrees Celsius, making for lovely driving conditions. The wind speeds will pick up slightly to reach 22km/h.

Sunday, March 8 (Race)

Lights out for the Chinese GP will be at 15:00 local time (07:00 GMT), but the sun is not set to make an appearance, with cloudier conditions forecast than the previous two days of running.

Temperatures will sit between 16 and 15 degrees Celsius during the grand prix distance with 50 per cent humidity currently forecast. No precipitation is expected and a gentle breeze from the east-north-east is set to hit the Shanghai International Circuit.

For regular weather updates across the Chinese GP weekend, be sure to check in with this page.

F1 SCHEDULE: Every race date for 2026 plus TV details

Chinese Grand Prix Shanghai International Circuit