The F1 roadshow heads to the Shanghai International Circuit for the second race of the 2026 season, and to celebrate, we’re looking through the Chinese Grand Prix odds to see where the value lies. Oscar Piastri proved victorious last season on one of the calendar's more physically demanding tracks, but for this year, with the new regulations in place, it’s a clean slate. We’ve got everything you need to know about the race, including tips, markets, betting sites and of course, Saturday’s Sprint Race.
F1 Chinese Grand Prix Betting Odds
F1 Chinese Grand Prix Betting Tips
With only the season opener and pre-season testing to go from, we’re still finding our way a little as to which teams have figured out this radical new era. With everything from active aero, overtake mode, boost mode and a more simplified hybrid engine, our Chinese Grand Prix betting tips have dug a little deeper than most. But as ever, there’s value to be had, and we’ve got a handful of great picks for the race ahead.
George Russell to Win
Mercedes left Bahrain testing as 1-2 on the timesheet. Now, it’s not the be-all and end-all, but it does give us an indication that Mercedes are ahead of the pack, at least in the early part of the season.
There have also been a few rumours that they might be holding something back, which would be very on point for Toto Wolff. If that’s the case, they will be right in the mix this season, and George Russell, as lead driver, will benefit most from this.
What’s been impressive about the W17 car is that it looks incredibly stable under braking, something that a lot of cars have struggled with. The long straights and tyre-sensitive corners in China can be brutal, and in the past, stable cars rather than quick cars have done well. Oscar Piastri in the McLaren in 2025 is case in point.
Ferrari to Podium
Stop the presses. Yes, you read that correctly. Ferrari to podium in just the second race of the season. After a shocker from the Marinello outfit in 2025, few are hopeful for their chances this year, but testing has been positive, and both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are looking quick.
The pair excelled in Bahrain's race simulations, and while they might not have the one-lap speed of Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren, they had superb race pace, with Hamilton in particular logging 150 laps, which is usually a sign the team is prioritising consistency over speed.
We could well be left with egg on our faces with this one, but the numbers and noises coming out of pre-season testing are positive. Ferrari to podium – you heard it here first.
Most Popular Chinese Grand Prix Betting Markets
As the Chinese Grand Prix betting odds go live, we turn our attention to the markets. The best F1 betting sites will be looking to take advantage of the early-season buzz and have a bunch of options to pick from, and we’ve listed the most popular below.
Pick the driver you think will win the race outright. This is the most popular F1 betting market.
Simply pick a driver who will finish first, second or third (the podium).
Points in F1 are given to any driver who finishes in the top 10. This is all you need to do for this market.
The F1 Chinese Grand Prix Sprint Race is the first of the year. It’s a watered-down prequal to the main race, run over 19 laps. All you need to do is pick the winner.
Every race has a qualifying session, and for this market, you need to pick the fastest driver who finishes on pole. Don’t forget, the Chinese Grand Prix has a Sprint Race, so there are two qualifying sessions over this weekend.
Pick the driver who you think will have the fastest lap in the race. This is not always the winner, so choose wisely.
For this market, select whether a safety car will be used. Top tip – A safety car has featured in 75% of Chinese Grand Prixes.
Best F1 Chinese Grand Prix Betting Sites
The best online betting sites will be working double time for this race. It’s the first one that’s not on in the middle of the night in the UK, so it’s going to get a lot of attention. We’ve tried and tested dozens of sites for this weekend, and we’ve come up with our definitive list below.
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Founded:
1994
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(4):
Bet £10 Get £20 18+, New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
2000
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(11):
Bet £10 & Get £30 18+. Registration Required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Funded account or place a bet to qualify. Geo location and live streaming rules apply. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £100,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1946
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(5):
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 (odds 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get £30 in Free Bets for selected markets, 7 days expiry. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1926
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(8):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK + ROI customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £/€5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stakes not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £250,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1886
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK+ROI Customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stake not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.01
Max. withdrawal: £250,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
2019
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
Bet £20, Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New UK customers. Min £20 first deposit. Place a bet of £20 at min odds of 2/1 (3.0) and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.05
Max. withdrawal: £100,000,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
2003
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(10):
100% up to £50 Welcome Bonus 18+ New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Deposit used 1st. Odds, bet & payment limits. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £50,000
Min. deposit: £10
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Founded:
1999
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10, Get up to £60 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 each-way bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £1.00
Max. withdrawal: £25,000
Min. deposit: £1
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
|
|
Founded:
1967
UKGC
This bookmaker is licensed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), ensuring compliance with strict regulations designed to promote fairness, transparency, and the safety of players. The UKGC license is a mark of trust, safeguarding your funds and personal information while encouraging responsible gambling. Learn more about the UKGC here
TPP Rating
Our experts research, review, and rate bookmakers first-hand to provide you with reliable information. All our content is completely impartial based on our own personal experiences as punters.
Payment methods(7):
Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad
Good to know:
Min. stake: £0.10
Max. withdrawal: £20,000
Min. deposit: £5
24/7 Customer Support:
Mobile-App:
Android
iOS
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Parimatch lead the way for F1 betting
Jonathan Askew: All the bookies listed above have their merits, but if I had to choose one, it would be Parimatch. You see, the thing I care about the most this week are the odds for the Chinese Grand Prix. Parimatch knocks the competition out of the park and can be up to 20% better than some competitors. You can sign up in a matter of minutes, deposit and claim the welcome bonus, and you’ve got a few extra quid to play with over the weekend. If it’s only about getting the most value from your bookie, Parimatch is a must-try.
Additional F1 Chinese Grand Prix Insights
We don’t just want to give you our betting tips and not put any reasoning behind them. So, we’ve added this section to look at some insights for the race. You can use this to form your own bets, or simply fact-check ours. Don’t forget that if you are going it alone, try to apply a free bet to your picks, which gives you a little support in case things go south.
When is the F1 Chinese Grand Prix?
The Chinese Grand Prix start time is at 7am GMT on 15th March. But it’s a hectic weekend, and there’s lots more to get involved with. Practice 1 kicks off on Friday, 13th March, followed by Sprint Qualifying in the afternoon. You’ve then got the Sprint Race on the morning of Saturday 14th, followed by the qualifying for the main race in the afternoon.
Shanghai International Circuit Reviewed: Racetrack Analysis for Punters
The Shanghai International Circuit has quickly developed into one of the more exciting circuits on the calendar. It’s famed for its long straights and quick corners, with the 1.2km back straight, heading into the hairpin, one of the biggest overtaking corners on the track.
Speaking of the track, it’s famed for wearing the front tyres more than most, so expect to hear the team complain of graining and degradation. If you can pick teams that suffer the least front tyre wear, then you’re generally on to a good thing.
Overtaking is frequent, and in 2025, there were 102 across the 56-lap race – one of the highest of the season. In 2016, the dry-weather record of 161 passes was set, underlining how exciting the track is for drivers and fans alike.
Recent F1 Chinese Grand Prix Results
| Year | Winner | Team | Winning time | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 1:30:55.026 | Lando Norris | George Russell |
| 2024 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1:40:52.554 | Lando Norris | Sergio Pérez |
| 2019 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:32:06.350 | Valtteri Bottas | Sebastian Vettel |
| 2018 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1:35:36.380 | Valtteri Bottas | Kimi Räikkönen |
| 2017 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:37:36.158 | Sebastian Vettel | Max Verstappen |
| 2016 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:38:53.891 | Sebastian Vettel | Daniil Kvyat |
| 2015 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:39:42.008 | Nico Rosberg | Sebastian Vettel |
| 2014 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1:33:28.338 | Nico Rosberg | Fernando Alonso |
| 2013 | Fernando Alonso | Ferrari | 1:36:26.945 | Kimi Räikkönen | Lewis Hamilton |
| 2012 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1:36:26.929 | Jenson Button | Lewis Hamilton |
Upcoming Formula 1 Events
No upcoming events.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
There’s always a lot of hype heading into China. It’s the second race of the season, so things are still very new, and with the addition of the Sprint Race over the weekend, there’s a lot going on. The trick is to use knowledge from pre-season testing and the Australian Grand Prix to identify who will perform well. Mercedes looks like a good shout this year, but with the long straight, tough braking zones, and a ton of overtakes to look forward to, it’s one of the most exciting and wide-open races for a reason.
Chinese Grand Prix FAQs
Parimatch and bet365 are the best bookmakers for betting on the Chinese Grand Prix. Parimatch have the best odds and bet365 have he best in-play betting section.
At TPP, we compare all the bookies for the best odds. There is often no fixed answer depending on what you’re betting on, but generally, Parimatch is often considered one of the best.
Yes, free bets are permitted with all F1 races and most F1 betting markets.
Oscar Piastri won the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix racing for McLaren.
The race starts at 7am UK time on the 15th March for the Chinese Grand Prix. The Sprint Race starts at 3am on the 14th March.
The Chinese Grand Prix is held at the Shanghai International Circuit.