The Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix delivered one of the most dramatic race weekends of the season — and the paddock’s celebrity guest list was every bit as electric as the action on track.
Shanghai’s International Circuit buzzed with star power from March 13–15 as the second round of the 2026 Formula One World Championship drew a glittering mix of pop royalty, regional celebrities, and Hollywood-adjacent faces to the stands.
Imagine Dragons were perhaps the most high-profile non-racing celebrities on the ground, and their presence made perfect geographic sense: the Grammy-winning rock giants were in Shanghai for three nights of their Loom World Tour at the massive Shanghai Stadium — with concert dates falling on March 13, 15 and 17 — making a pit stop at the circuit a natural detour. The band was spotted trackside on race day, soaking up the spectacle between their own stadium-filling sets.
Yet it was the local stars who drew the most frantic attention from Chinese fans both in the grandstands and inside the paddock. With a record number of F1 fans attending this year, the local star power rose to match. Actor Cheng Yi, one of China’s most popular TV drama leads, was among those spotted in attendance, along with entertainer and racing enthusiast Jimmy Lin, who was photographed with singer-actor Li Yunrui — a pairing that quickly circulated across Chinese social media.
Off the track, attention was not reserved solely for the drivers. Alexandra Saint-Mleux drew particular admiration from local fans as the newly wed of Charles Leclerc. As she did last year, she wore Chinese-inspired dresses throughout the weekend, adapting her fashion to the local culture — a gesture that did not go unnoticed. With 24 races across major continents on the calendar, she will have plenty more occasions to dress for.
Chinese F1 fans were not disappointed by the on-track action either. As the season’s first sprint weekend, the schedule featured a sprint race on Saturday alongside the main event on Sunday. While many in attendance were Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton supporters, it was Mercedes who stole the show. Nineteen-year-old Kimi Antonelli claimed his maiden career pole position — beating Sebastian Vettel’s record as the youngest-ever Formula One polesitter — before converting it into a maiden race victory, becoming the second youngest Grand Prix winner in history. “I’m speechless. I’m about to cry, to be honest,” the young Italian said afterwards.
Hamilton, meanwhile, returned to the podium in third place after a thrilling race-long battle with Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who crossed the line in fourth. Though he did not take the victory, Hamilton was visibly proud watching Antonelli celebrate, having spent time alongside the young Italian at Mercedes before making his own move to Ferrari — the dynamic between them carrying an unmistakable mentor-and-protégé quality.
With F1’s celebrity pull only growing stronger in Asia — and Shanghai now firmly re-established as one of the calendar’s marquee stops — the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix confirmed that the sport’s off-track appeal is very much keeping pace with its on-track spectacle. F1 now takes a short break before returning for the Japanese Grand Prix from March 27–29.
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