From March 13th to 15th, in addition to the F1 Chinese Grand Prix main race, a sprint race will be held for the third consecutive year. This is the first sprint race under the new regulations, and it’s highly anticipated!
Meanwhile, the opening race of the new F1 Academy season will also be held concurrently with the F1 Chinese Grand Prix. Chinese female driver Shi Wei (Tie Dou) will participate in the 2026 F1 Academy Chinese Grand Prix as a wildcard driver.
Friday, March 13th: All 22 F1 drivers will participate in the first practice session and sprint qualifying. The F1 Academy will also kick off its new season on the same day with practice and qualifying sessions; the qualifying results will determine the starting grid order for both Saturday and Sunday’s races.
Saturday, March 14th: The first sprint race of the season will start at 11:00 AM. This is a short-distance version of the “race,” complete with a start and finish line, making it highly anticipated! The afternoon’s Grand Prix qualifying will showcase the speed limits of the new generation of cars and also determine the starting grid order for Sunday’s race. In addition, the F1 Academy will hold its first race.
Sunday, March 15th: The second F1 Academy race will take place first, followed by the highly anticipated Grand Prix race! There will also be a driver parade, opening ceremony performances, and other track activities before the race.
Taking the subway is the most convenient way to travel!
The Shanghai International Circuit is located at 2000 Yining Road, Jiading District, Shanghai. During the event, we strongly recommend that you choose green transportation and take Metro Line 11 directly to the circuit. This is not only convenient and fast, but also avoids traffic congestion during the event!
This year, a customized shuttle bus service for the 2026 Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix has been launched, providing convenient, comfortable, and personalized travel options! Six customized routes are available: one direct line from Hongqiao Railway Station to the F1 circuit, and five lines returning to the city from the circuit. The destinations are Hongqiao Railway Station, Zhongshan Park, People’s Square, Century Avenue (with a stop at Wujiaochang), and Xuhui West Bund Dream Center (with a stop at Shanghai South Railway Station). The newly added Xuhui West Bund Dream Center route is also linked to the 2026 Checkered Flag Carnival Xuhui West Bund venue, bringing you the second part of the motorsport culture extravaganza!
How to enter the venue?
Please bring the original valid identification document used when purchasing your ticket (such as ID card, passport, or Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan travel document)!
1. Daily ticket checking times: March 13th: 8:00-17:00; March 14th: 8:00-17:00; March 15th: 8:30-16:30*. Peak entry times are 10:00-12:00 daily. Spectators are advised to plan their travel time accordingly and arrive during off-peak hours to avoid long queues at security.
2. Spectators with their original mainland ID card will complete the ticket check by scanning their ID and having their face scanned after security screening. Children without ID cards, and spectators with passports or Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan travel documents, please proceed to the real-name authentication window before security screening for verification. After authentication, proceed through security screening and directly enter by facial recognition.
3. After entry, there will be a second ticket check at each grandstand entrance. This will also require scanning your original ID card for facial recognition (for mainland China ID card holders) or facial recognition (for those who have already completed manual real-name authentication before the first check).
4. On the day of the event, the same ticket holder is allowed to enter and exit repeatedly at all ticket gates, but the ticket check process must be completed each time!
5. In case of rain, please do not bring long-handled umbrellas. We recommend bringing a folding umbrella or raincoat for convenience. Additionally, the following items are not allowed: ⬇️
For spectators in the stands, four gates (1, 2, 6, and 9) are open this year. Spectators can choose the nearest gate based on their stand location to minimize waiting time.
Gate 1: Recommended for spectators in Grandstands A, B, and K, and those heading to the F1 commercial area.
Gate 2: Recommended for spectators in Grandstands B and C.
Gate 6: Recommended for spectators in Grandstand E.
Gate 9: Recommended for spectators in Grandstands F, H, and J.
How to take the shuttle bus for Grandstand spectators? The newly opened Grandstand E will provide a free round-trip shuttle bus service for spectators.
Grandstand spectators can take the shuttle bus from Parking Lot P5 (near Grandstand J) to Parking Lot P13 (near Grandstand E). If you need to return to the main grandstand commercial area and water feature plaza after arriving at Grandstand E, you can also take the shuttle bus from Parking Lot P13 back to Parking Lot P5.
Please note that the shuttle bus pick-up points for parking lots P5 and P13 are located outside the ticket gates. If you need to return to the E grandstand area after visiting the main grandstand commercial area, please follow the on-site signs to exit through gate 1 or gate 10 near the J grandstand, then proceed to the shuttle bus service point in parking lot P5 to board the shuttle bus and re-enter through gate 6.
Shuttle bus operating hours (March 13th to 15th): P5→P13: 8:30-15:00; P13→P5: 9:30-15:00. Alternatively, you can choose to walk to the E grandstand by following the on-site signs.
