Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Underdog Fantasy Picks
The Formula 1 season heads to China for Round 2 of its 2026 season. This race is set for 56 laps around the Shanghai International Circuit. At just over three miles (5.451km), this course features 16 corners. Drivers have raced here since 2004. However, Formula 1 did not put cars on this track between the 2020 and 2023 seasons. These Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Underdog Fantasy Picks give you a perfect mix of experience on this track, sprinkled in with some youthful talent.
This week’s picks will focus on two drivers who started the season off in unexpected ways. One of them started his title defense with a lackluster season opener. The other, kicked off his sophomore season standing next to his teammate on the podium in Australia last week.
To play Underdog Fantasy, all you need to do is choose whether a driver will finish better than or worse than their projected finishing positions. It’s as simple as that. The more selections you make, the higher your multiplier will get, increasing the amount of money you stand to win.
Chinese Grand Prix 2026 Underdog Fantasy Picks
Kimi Antonelli Better Than 3.5
Andrea Kimi Antonelli took the Formula 1 series by storm as a rookie last season. The youngster jumped into the second seat at Mercedes, taking over for the legendary Lewis Hamilton who jumped ship to Ferrari. Antonelli turned his opportunity into three podium finishes and an average finish of 9.8 in his rookie campaign. He ended last year popping champagne in two of his last four races. In fact, he finished inside of the top 5 in five of his last eight outings of the 2025 season.
Hey Kimi! 👊#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/QIw50opkuH
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 12, 2026
The Italian star has one career start on this track in his career. However, he managed to pilot his car to a 6th place finish in just his second race as a Formula 1 driver.
Last week, Antonelli shook off a tough wreck in FP3 and wound up starting alongside his teammate on the outside pole. He will look to continue that speed and momentum this week and should find himself with a second trophy on the season.
Lando Norris Better Than 5.5
Lando Norris slogged through a forgettable day in Melbourne last Sunday. Despite a shocking lack of speed out of his No. 1 McLaren, Norris still managed a 5th place finish in his premier as the defending champ. This was in spite of his concerns with the changes F1 made to its cars heading into the season.
Hey Kimi! 👊#F1 #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/QIw50opkuH
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 12, 2026
The British driver has finished runner up on this track in each of his last two outings on the Shanghai International Circuit. He has started no worse than 4th in that span as well.
Norris averaged a 4.3 place finish last season. He made 18 podium appearances in his 24 starts and won 7 total races. In fact, he only finished outside of the top 5 four times on his way to the title.
About The Author
