Sam Bird had good things to say about Lewis Hamilton’s start to the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint, calling it “feisty” as the Ferrari driver went up against Lando Norris and George Russell.
Hamilton wasted no time getting involved after a quick getaway from fourth on the grid, immediately mixing it up with his fellow Britons. Andrea Kimi Antonelli had started alongside Russell but fell back to ninth after a slow launch.
But Hamilton’s aggressive approach didn’t pay off in the end, as tyre wear became an issue and he slipped behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc. Both Ferrari drivers stopped under a late safety car, helping them lock down second and third, with Leclerc finishing nearly two seconds ahead.
Russell took advantage of the situation, holding onto victory by less than a second over Leclerc after Nico Hulkenberg’s crash brought out the safety car with six laps remaining. The race had originally been set for 19 laps but ended early due to timing constraints related to track repairs for Sunday’s main event.
Lewis Hamilton ‘bullied’ Lando Norris for P2 at the start of the F1 Sprint in China
Hamilton didn’t waste any time getting stuck in when the lights went out, wasting no time asserting himself against Lando Norris into Turn 2. Moments later, he was alongside George Russell at Turn 9, making another move stick before settling into his rhythm.
Bird went a step further, describing Hamilton’s move on Norris as a bit of bullying. The Ferrari driver squeezed down the inside and forced Norris wide, leaving him with little option but to back off and drop into third.
The praise kept coming from Bird later in the opening lap when Hamilton made another bold move, this time diving down Russell’s inside at Turn 9 to take the early lead. The two traded places until Lap 5, setting up an entertaining duel in the early stages of the race.
“Flying start from Lewis Hamilton, and then bullied Lando Norris,” Bird said on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra. He added: “A feisty Lewis Hamilton! He’s woken up, he’s had his Weetabix this morning. What an opening lap from Lewis!”
Energy management defined Lewis Hamilton’s early battle with George Russell
Norris had the opportunity to shut down Hamilton at Turn 2, but he chose the outside line to avoid turbulence from Russell’s Mercedes through the right-hander. That left enough space for Hamilton, who then moved over to force Norris into backing off.
Russell also couldn’t stop Hamilton taking the lead at Turn 9. After a good exit from Turn 8, Hamilton pulled alongside and claimed the inside line. From there, it became a matter of energy conservation between the two former teammates.
Hamilton struggled to defend against Russell heading into Turn 14 on that first lap. The Mercedes W17 has proven quick on straights and is strong in energy management as well. But Hamilton countered quickly using his battery power to reclaim position at Turn 1 on Lap 2.
The pattern continued on Lap 3: Russell overtook along the back straight while Hamilton charged his battery, only for roles to reverse again at Turn 1 when Hamilton swept around him. Russell tried a similar move on Lap 4, but this time, Hamilton held firm on the inside at Turn 2.
By Lap 5 though, Russell managed to secure P1 with another move into Turn 14. That brought Leclerc up onto his teammate’s gearbox, and soon after took advantage of tyre wear issues on Hamilton’s car by moving past him later in the race for second place.
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