The 2026 F4 Chinese Championship opened at the Shanghai International Circuit with a clear reference point at the front. Chan Yu Tsai arrived with outright pace and converted it into three wins from four races, but the final result of the weekend ensured the narrative remained open heading into Round 2.
Qualifying established the hierarchy immediately. Chan secured pole for both sessions with laps. Behind him, the order shifted. Timur Shagaliev split the Black Blade Racing entries to take second in Q1, while Yu Yan moved into P2 in Q2 as Shagaliev failed to set a representative time.
Race 1 followed the qualifying script. Chan led every lap and built a 9.9 second margin at the flag. Chen Si Cong secured second, while Shi Wei delivered a podium on debut for SHE Power Racing in third. Yu Yan and Shagaliev both retired early, leaving two of the expected front runners without points.
Race 2 compressed the gap at the front but not the outcome. Chan again controlled the race from lights to flag. Chen Si Cong finished second for the second consecutive race, while Shagaliev recovered to third, 3.289 seconds off the lead. Multiple penalties and retirements reduced the field and reshaped the midfield order.
Race 3 delivered Chan’s third consecutive victory, this time with a 4.264 second margin. Yu Yan rebounded from his earlier DNF to take second, while Shagaliev added another podium in third.
Race 4 broke the pattern. Shagaliev converted a front row start into a controlled victory, finishing 1.244 seconds ahead of Chan. Yu Yan completed the podium, securing his second top three result of the weekend.
Chan leaves Shanghai as the championship leader with three wins and two pole positions. Shagaliev’s recovery from a scoreless Race 1 to a Race 4 win positions him as the immediate challenger. Yu Yan’s late weekend form establishes him as a consistent podium contender. The opening round closes with a defined front group and multiple outcomes already influencing the title trajectory ahead of Round 2 at Tianjin.
