The first Sprint weekend of the season delivered a blockbuster trip to Shanghai, a destination that drivers continue to circle as a highlight on the Formula 1 calendar. With passionate fans turning out in force and plenty happening around the paddock throughout the week, the atmosphere made for a memorable return to China.
There was plenty of on-track drama for the first Sprint weekend of F1’s new era, with Kimi Antonelli taking an emotional maiden win in the Grand Prix, the Ferraris locked in a fierce battle, and plenty of shocks and upsets throughout the field. But those weren’t the only stories from the Grand Prix weekend – so here are some off-track moments you should know about…
Driver adventures in China
China is easily one of the drivers’ favourite places to explore away from the circuit, so it’s no surprise that many headed there early before the Grand Prix weekend got underway. Franco Colapinto amused fans with his Chinese adventures roaming around the Bund district, where he ended up getting a little lost!
Lewis Hamilton has often spoken about his love for the country, and during his visit, he enjoyed several adventures of his own – including horse riding, visiting a local village, and spending quality time with his mum. Later in the week, the Brit felt that affection returned when he attended the TeamLH China art show, taking time to admire a gallery of crafts created in his honour.
Sightseeing has been a favourite pastime for drivers in the week leading up to a race, with Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz making the most of their stay in the Enchanting City by immersing themselves in the local culture – especially when it came to sampling the food and drink!
But perhaps no one seemed to enjoy the weekend quite as much as Hamilton’s mum, Carmen Larbalestier. After spending quality time with her son earlier in the week, she was a constant presence in the garage across the race weekend, supporting him with a bright smile on her face.
It proved to be a particularly special few days for the pair, as Hamilton secured his first podium with Scuderia – a perfect Mother’s Day present, if you ask us.
Mercedes trio take the podium
This weekend was a historic one for Mercedes’ Antonelli – not only did he become the youngest-ever polesitter in the sport, but he also converted it into his maiden F1 victory.
The reactions and celebrations that followed his pole position and victory on Sunday have been incredibly wholesome. But one moment made it all the more special came at the podium ceremony…
The trio of Antonelli, George Russell and Hamilton sharing the podium was particularly heartwarming, representing three ‘generations’ of Mercedes drivers past and present. With Antonelli bravely stepping into the seat once occupied by Hamilton at Mercedes, the result felt somewhat symbolic of a new era beginning while also celebrating the legend’s long-awaited return to the podium.
It became even more meaningful when race engineer Pete ‘Bono’ Bonnington stepped up to collect the constructors’ trophy alongside them. Sharing the moment with his current driver Antonelli, fresh from his first victory, and Hamilton, whom he worked with for many years before the Briton’s move to Ferrari, made the occasion all the more emotional. Toto Wolff was even left questioning whether he had three Mercedes’ running in the race!
Franco x Punch the Monkey
Colapinto hasn’t been shy about his love for viral star ‘Punch the Monkey’, often mentioning how much he thinks about the adorable celeb. The Argentine even arrived in the paddock on media day with a brand-new Punch sticker proudly displayed on his water bottle and showed every camera he passed – much to fans’ delight.
Come Saturday, one supporter made Colapinto’s day by surprising him with his very own “emotional support” monkey plushie reminiscent of the one Punch himself carries – and it barely left the Argentine’s side for the rest of the weekend whenever he wasn’t in the car. With the Alpine driver going on to score his first points for Alpine in Sunday’s Grand Prix, his new companion might just have become his lucky charm!
There’s no place like home for Zhou
There’s nothing quite like the support of a home race, and although Zhou Guanyu isn’t on the grid this season – you wouldn’t know it given his hero’s welcome in his home city. As part of his new role with Cadillac, the Shanghai native had a busy week ahead of the Grand Prix weekend!
Aside from team activations, the week had something a little more personal in store. Already known for his artistic expression with fashion, Zhou took his creativity to new heights when hosting his very own photography exhibition ‘Time Without Speed’. The exhibition highlighted snapshots of his life both at and away from the circuit, and even featured his adorable cat, Sweetcorn!
“Must be the water”
Who says sustainability can’t be fun? Like many circuits on the calendar, Shanghai has been providing water stations for fans to encourage the use of reusable bottles and help reduce waste. But the organisers added a humorous twist this year, labelling the taps “Must be the COLD water” and “Must be the HOT water” – a cheeky gesture to Leclerc’s iconic team radio meme from last season.
We’re hoping the Ferrari man got to fill up his water bottle here at some point!
George’s Shanghai special helmet
China is clearly a special race for Russell, who showed his appreciation for the country through a brand-new, special Shanghai-inspired helmet. On social media, he explained that the design draws inspiration from local details, landscapes and traditional Chinese porcelain, reflected in the striking contrast of blue and white detailing covering the lid.
