GASLY AND HADJAR DELIVER A DOUBLE POINTS FINISH FOR ALPINE AND RED BULL IN SHANGHAI
MAR 16, 2026
Round two of the 2026 Formula One World Championship unfolded at the Shanghai International Circuit under the banner of a chaotic, attrition-heavy afternoon. While Mercedes and Ferrari dominated the headlines at the front, the midfield told its own compelling story — and two French drivers were at the heart of it.
Pierre Gasly crossed the line in sixth place for Alpine, delivering one of the stronger individual performances of the weekend outside the top teams. In a race that saw multiple front-runners — including both McLarens and Max Verstappen — fail to see the chequered flag, Gasly's result was far from a gift. It required consistency, composure, and the ability to manage a demanding Shanghai circuit across 56 laps.
Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar secured eighth for Red Bull. The 2025 Formula 2 champion is still in the early weeks of his Formula One career, and a points finish at only the second round of the season is a result that speaks for itself. It was not a straightforward afternoon for the Red Bull outfit — Verstappen retired late in the race — which made Hadjar's ability to bring the car home cleanly all the more significant.
Two French drivers. Two different teams. Both in the points on the same afternoon in China.
In a new regulatory era where results are still settling and the order remains fluid, consistent point-scoring is the foundation on which seasons are built. Shanghai offered exactly that — a measured, professional double finish that will matter come the end of the year.
The championship moves next to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix, where both drivers will be looking to build on the momentum carried out of China.