Formula 1 – Chinese Grand Prix race: Start time, leaderboard and lap-by-lap updates as

Brilliant start from Verstappen and Alonso goes around the outside of Perez to take second!!

Verstappen goes wide on the outside but recovers well to keep the Spaniard behind him.

Lando Norris in fourth tries to put pressure on Perez for third but follows the Mexican ahead of Piastri, Russell, Hulkenberg and the two Ferraris who have had a shocking start.

Lewis Hamilton has lost a place and is down in 19th.

Lando Norris, who starts fourth has said:

We can try a lot, I think we can give it a good shot, the pace has been good all weekend. Long race ahead, many things can happen, cool temperatures for the time being but we can have a fun race

Meanwhile, that 10 per cent chance of rain? Verstappen has reported ‘a few drizzles’

Mail Sport’s Henry Clark has said

Some early mind games, perhaps, from Max Verstappen, who has just been on the team radio to say ‘there might be a few drizzles’. Well, that’s not what the forecast says! There was certainly no sign of any rain when I was outside a few moments ago. It would certainly making this race a lot more interesting if it does rain. We will have to wait and see’

It has before so far this weekend. And there is a 10 per cent of rain for the main event – so unlikely, but you never know!

Mail Sport’s Henry Clark is in Shanghai for the race and has been out on the grid ahead of the race. He said;

I’ve just been out on the grid and Lewis Hamilton looked in his usually relaxed mood. Earphones in for the seven-time world champion ahead of what will be an arduous task in working his way through the grid from his starting position of 18th.

Fernando Alonso’s car is being repaired right before the start of this race after the floor was damaged by a stone.

Hopefully nothing too serious for the Aston Martin star!

We are close to the start of the Chinese Grand Prix and the drivers have gone to the front of the track to respect the Chinese national anthem and are now heading back to their cars.

The Spaniard failed to finish yesterday’s sprint after a crazy battle involving the two Ferrari drivers and he will be keen to get a good points haul today – and maybe even a podium.

He doesn’t think his Aston Martin has the pace to beat the McLarens or Ferraris but he has proven many times in his career that he can outperform the level of his car.

A host of former drivers are in attendance including Juan Pablo Montoya, one of the sport’s most exciting drivers of the 2000s from his time with Williams and McLaren.

Also in attendance is NBA legend Yao Ming who met up with his Chinese compatriot Zhou Guanyu. Just a bit of a size difference!

If Max Verstappen can win today it will be the 26th different race track that he has won at – which would move him five behind Lewis Hamilton’s record of 31.

Today is the 106th Grand Prix since the last Chinese Grand Prix and if Verstappen can win it will be his 53rd triumph in that time – half of the events since the last race in the country.

Impressive given Mercedes dominated in 2019 and 2020, while he was locked up in a title battle with Hamilton in 2021.

Lewis Hamilton is almost as popular as Zhou Guanyu in China it looks from the ovation he received from the grandstands as he was interviewed.

He lauded the fans in attendance before admitting that his failure to get out of Q1 was his fault due to a lock-up at Turn 14.

The pit-lane has been opened with just over 30 minutes to go until lights out.

Zhou Guanyu received a massive reaction from his home crowd as he took to the track. He starts 16th and will be hoping for some points.

Keep an eye on Charles Leclerc this afternoon.

He might have only qualified sixth, but he decided on a set-up to concentrate on the race, comprimising his speed in qualifying somewhat – how much, we will never know.

On my side, I knew the set-up I chose was not ideal for qualifying but I did not expect to be behind the Astons and McLaren.

‘But I believe it’s a good sign for [the race] in that we have the right car to perform well. It will all be about how fast we pass the others to get in front.’

The last time we had a race at the Shanghai International Circuit was on April 14, 2019 – Formula One’s 1,000th race which was won by the then-dominant Lewis Hamilton.

Of course due to the Covid pandemic in the country, races at the track for the following four years were not held.

But they are back this weekend and the action has been excellent so far.

Can anyone stop Verstappen at the top this morning?

Well after his excellent win yesterday, Verstappen has opened up a 15 point lead over Sergio Perez, with the two Ferraris not too far behind the Mexican driver.

Lewis Hamilton is still ninth despite his second-place finish but he has closed the gap on Fernando Alonso ahead of him.

1. Max Verstappen – 85 points

2. Sergio Perez – 70 points

3. Charles Leclerc – 64 points

4. Carlos Sainz – 59 points

5. Lando Norris – 40 points

6. Oscar Piastri – 34 points

7. George Russell – 25 points

8. Fernando Alonso – 24 points

9. Lewis Hamilton – 17 points

10. Lance Stroll – 10 points

How can a driver finish second in the sprint and qualify 18th just hours later you might ask yourselves.

Well, the Brit, not for the first time, decided to experiment, with the hopes of getting Mercedes even closer to the top for today’s race.

And safe to say it did not work for the seven-time world champion.

Click below to see what he had to say…

Max Verstappen had to work his way to the top to win Saturday’s sprint from Lewis Hamilton but today he has a clear track ahead of him and is favourite to win his fourth race in five.

Fernando Alonso’s qualifying pace has been impressive but he has dropped back in the races so if Red Bull are to get a challenge then it might come in the form of the two McLarens or Ferraris – with the latter team having atleast one driver on the podium in every race this season.

Mercedes have it all to do with George Russell eighth and Lewis Hamilton 18th.

And welcome to Mail Sport’s live blog for the Chinese Grand Prix!

And if anything’s sprint race yesterday says about the main event today, we should hopefully be in for a cracker of a race this morning.

Max Verstappen is on pole from Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso, while watch out for Lewis Hamilton, who is out of position in 18th place – after he finished the sprint in second.

We will provide you all the build-up and live updates throughout the race.