Lewis Hamilton has theory Mercedes are using 'party mode' that was banned in 2020

Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton has put forward the theory that Mercedes used a banned tactic during Saturday’s Chinese Grand Prix Sprint in Shanghai.

Hamilton secured his first podium of the 2026 F1 campaign, finishing third in the Sprint, while Mercedes’ George Russell finished first ahead of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in second.

Russell, who won last week’s season opener in Melbourne, scored eight points, while Leclerc and Hamilton scored seven and six respectively.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris finished fourth, with Russell’s Mercedes team-mate Kimi Antonelli in fifth.

Despite Russell coming out on top, his Sprint race was not without challenges. The Mercedes man and Hamilton were embroiled in a scrap during the early laps, with the pair swapping places five times in the first five laps.

Hamilton eventually fell behind his own team-mate Leclerc just three laps after Russell had overtaken him.

Lewis Hamilton has spoken out after the Chinese Grand Prix Sprint (Credit:Getty)

After the Sprint, Hamilton spoke to the media and suggested that his former employer, for whom he raced between 2013 and 2024, may have found a version of ‘party mode’, which has been banned by the FIA since 2020.

The banning of party mode prevented teams from using high-power engine settings exclusively during qualifying. The mode, which Mercedes used between 2018 and 2020, was designed to enhance pace over individual laps by providing extra engine revs and allowing maximum energy deployment, but was not permitted during Grands Prix.

Speaking on Saturday, Hamilton said: “The difference is, I mean, I was with Mercedes for a long, long time, so I know how it works there. In qualifying, they have another mode that they’re able to go to, a bit like a ‘party mode’ back in the day.”

Hamilton feels the Silver Arrows may have found an ‘alternative’ to the banned setting.

“Once they get to Q2 they switch that on, and we don’t have that,” the 41-year-old added.

“So whatever that is. And then in the race they obviously don’t have that mode, so they still obviously have an advantage overall.

“We’ve got to figure out what that is, but there’s something more they’re able to extract, particularly in Q2. You see in Q1 we’re not that far away, and then all of a sudden it’s like a huge step. A tenth behind in Q1, I think it was, and then all of a sudden it’s seven tenths or another half a second. It’s a big step.”

Hamilton will start third on the grid for Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, with Russell second and Antonelli on pole.