Antonelli on pole for F1's Chinese Grand Prix after teammate Russell wins sprint

SHANGHAI (AP) — Kimi Antonelli stepped up Saturday when his Mercedes teammate George Russell hit trouble in qualifying to become the youngest-ever driver on pole position for a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

After holding off a challenge from Ferrari to win the sprint race earlier in the day, Russell seemed near-unbeatable. Then he stopped on track in qualifying and limped back to the pits with technical problems.

Russell's team got the car going again with seconds to spare for him to set a time. It was only good enough for second on the grid, 0.222 of a second off Antonelli, who kept up Mercedes’ run of qualifying dominance after F1’s sweeping changes to the cars for 2026.

The Ferraris of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will start third and fourth. Their fast starts could threaten Mercedes off the line, as they did last week in Australia and in Saturday's sprint race.

The 19-year-old Antonelli becomes the youngest driver to take pole position for a full Grand Prix race, though he was also on pole aged 18 for a sprint race last year in Miami.

“It’s just the beginning, so obviously there’s a lot more to come,” Antonelli said. “Really looking forward to tomorrow. Car is feeling really good, car is strong, so a lot to play for tomorrow. But just super happy with today.”

Russell said a damaged front wing and gear-change issues made for a “crazy” qualifying session. “As soon as I went out on the track, I could tell something wasn’t right,” he said. He then had to set a last-chance time with a depleted battery and cold tires.

Russell won the first race of the season in Australia last weekend, and he followed up taking the 19-lap sprint in China.

As last week in Australia, the Ferraris were fast off the line and Russell and Lewis Hamilton swapped the lead several times on the first few laps. But Russell began to pull away after the early laps with Hamilton fading as the constant battles took a toll on his tires. Charles Leclerc was second with his teammate Hamilton third.

“Lewis did an amazing job in the in the early laps,” Russell said. “He caught me off guard — 20 years of experience. So I've still got a bit to learn.”

“It was pretty fun in the end,” Russell added. “A lot of strategy in play and overtakes. It’s not easy. I hope it was fun race to watch. Usually the sprint races are pretty boring.”

Hamilton received loud applause from the Shanghai crowd when he began his on-track interview by saying “Nǐ hǎo" — hello in Chinese.

“That speed (of Mercedes) on the straight is just a little bit too much at the moment,” said Hamilton, who won last year's sprint in China for his only victory since joining Ferrari. "I think I put up a good fight.”

Hamilton and Leclerc couldn't renew their challenge late in the race after a safety car period for Audi's Nico Hulkenberg stopping on track.

Lando Norris was fourth for McLaren and Antonelli fifth after serving a penalty for an early collision with Red Bull's Isack Hadjar.

Formula 1 has made massive engine and chassis changes for this season — the most radical in over a decade — that feature a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric power.

Russell is one of the new era's biggest cheerleaders and said Saturday's sprint battle felt “like go-kart racing in the past ... I don’t ever remember Formula 1 being like that, where you can have three or four cars all fighting for the same position truly on track."

Drivers have struggled to handle the trade-off between using power and conserving it, and some have struggled with extra power coming in unexpectedly.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is no fan of the changes and finished ninth in the sprint race.

“Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong,” Verstappen said. “We just need to get our stuff together.”

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain waves after winning the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Mercedes driver George Russell, right, of Britain leads Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain during the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver George Russell, left, of Britain against Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain during the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy, center, waves after getting the pole position beside Mercedes driver George Russell, left, of Britain and Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain steers his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy steers his car during the qualifying session of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver George Russell of Britain sits inside his car before the start of the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Second place Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc of Monaco after the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Winner Mercedes driver George Russell, right, of Britain talks with third placer Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain after the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Red Bull driver Isack Hadjar of France steers his car during the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Cadillac driver Sergio Perez of Mexico steers his car during the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Mercedes driver George Russell, left, of Britain leads the pack during the Sprint Race of the Chinese Formula One Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit, in Shanghai, China, Saturday, March 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

SAO PAULO (AP) — Oscar Schmidt, the Basketball Hall of Famer known to his Brazilian compatriots as the “Holy Hand,” died Friday. He was 68.

Schmidt’s family said in a statement that he fought a brain tumor for 15 years “with courage, dignity and resilience . . . while remaining a role model of determination, generosity and love of life. Oscar leaves a legacy that transcends sport and inspires generations of athletes and admirers in Brazil and worldwide.”

Earlier, Hospital e Maternidade Municipal Santa Ana in the city of Santana de Parnaiba, outside metropolis Sao Paulo, said Schmidt’s family requested privacy without elaborating.

Schmidt is beloved in Brazil for committing to the national team for 19 years and becoming one of the most prolific scorers in basketball history. He also starred in an historic victory over the United States in the final of the 1987 Pan American Games.

“The biggest player of Brazilian basketball history bids farewell as an absolute symbol of sport, the holder of a trajectory that redefined the boundaries of what was possible in a court,” the Brazil Basketball Confederation said in a statement. “His death closes an era. But his greatness remains.”

Schmidt, who didn't playing in the NBA, began his professional career in 1974 and most of it was at home and Italy, where he became a childhood idol of future great Kobe Bryant.

In 1984 the NBA’s New Jersey Nets drafted him in the sixth round and he trained with them but declined a contract. At the time NBA players were not allowed to play for national teams. Schmidt said he had no regrets at his Hall of Fame induction.

“I was the choice (No,) 144,” he said. His idol Larry Bird laughed next to him. “They came to offer me a no-cut contract to play for the New Jersey Nets. I said thank you very much but if I play one game here I will never again play for my national team.

“Three years later we beat the Americans here in the U.S. Sorry, that was the greatest thing I did in basketball.”

Bird released a statement Friday, saying: “I always admired Oscar and considered him a friend. He was, without a doubt, one of the greatest players to ever play the game. It was an honor of a lifetime when Oscar asked me to present him at his well deserved induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. My sincere condolences to Oscar’s family.”

Portland Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter and NBA champion Anderson Varejao, two Brazilians in the league, mourned Schmidt in their social media channels.

Standing 2.03 meters (6-foot-8), he was a keen 3-point shooter in the 1980s when many coaches advised against it. That earned him the nickname “Mão Santa” (Holy Hand). Schmidt didn’t believe he was worthy of the tag.

“I don’t have a holy hand. I have a trained hand,” Schmidt used to say in interviews.

He debuted for Brazil at 19 in 1977 and made 326 appearances, averaging 23.6 points per game.

He played in a record-tying five Olympics and four World Cups. He’s the all-time leading scorer in both tournaments. He still has seven of the 10 highest scoring games in Olympic history and he holds the single-game records for points scored in the Olympics (55 vs. Spain in 1988) and World Cup (52 vs. Australia in 1990).

“More than results and medals, Oscar represented values that define the Olympic spirit; dedication, resilience and respect to the opponents,” Brazil’s Olympic committee said in a statement.

The 1987 Pan Am Games victory in Indianapolis marked the first time a U.S. team lost a major international tournament on home soil. Brazil won 120-115 and Schmidt led with 46 points.

Schmidt retired in 2003 at 45. He passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be the unofficial career highest scorer and his known tally of 49,737 points for club and country was eclipsed by LeBron James in 2024.

“For decades, he united the country around the courts with unforgettable shots and indisputable leadership,” Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said on social media. “His dedication elevated the name of the country and made him an inspiration for generations of athletes and sports lovers.”

Schmidt was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2010, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013, and the Italian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

After retirement, Schmidt became one of his country’s most popular motivational speakers. He often talked about his battle with the brain tumor diagnosed in 2011, his love for Brazil and basketball.

Schmidt is survived by wife Maria Cristina Victorino, whom he married in 1981, and two children. One of them, Filipe, spoke about his father’s death on social media.

“Now you rest in peace, dad. You are in the hall of fame of life,” he said.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

FILE - Brazil's Oscar Schmidt (14) drives past Scottie Pipen (8) of the United States during the quarterfinals of basketball competition at the Centennial Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, July 30, 1996. Schmidt, whom his Brazil compatriots know as the “Holy Hand,” died. Friday, April 17, 2026. He was 68. (AP Photo/Hans Deryk, File)

FILE - Brazil's former basketball player Oscar Schmidt shows a miniature basketball containing the name of a country during the draw for the London 2012 Olympic men's basketball tournament in Rio de Janeiro, April 30, 2012. Schmidt, whom his Brazil compatriots know as the “Holy Hand,” died. Friday, April 17, 2026. He was 68. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

FILE - Inductee Oscar Schmidt, of Brazil, speaks during the enshrinement ceremony for this year's class of the Basketball Hall of Fame, at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 8, 2013. Schmidt, whom his Brazil compatriots know as the “Holy Hand,” died. Friday, April 17, 2026. He was 68. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)

FILE - Inductee Oscar Schmidt, of Brazil, speaks during the enshrinement ceremony for the 2013 class of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Mass., Sept. 8, 2013. Schmidt, whom his Brazil compatriots know as the “Holy Hand,” died. Friday, April 17, 2026. He was 68. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File)