16 March 2026 19:45 (UTC)
Personalised plushies, fan surprises, and catching up with the Chinese McLaren Fan Club: Behind the scenes in Shanghai
Allow us to take you behind the scenes of the Chinese Grand Prix and deep into the paddock, with our regular post-race wrap-up. Covering all the action you might have missed, we'll explore everything from the outfits that caught our attention to the strongest snaps and the standout quotes.
The Shanghai International Circuit is a firm fan favourite, combining fantastic food, passionate fans, rich culture, and a circuit that’s great for racing. While we left hugely disappointed not to have enjoyed the Sunday we had hoped for, there were still some enjoyable moments over the weekend - from unique fan gifts and a fun game of Heads Up, to a reunion with the Chinese McLaren Fan Club, here's what caught our attention...
“We move forward as one team, both trackside and in Woking, with our partners at HPP. We’ll learn from today together and make sure it doesn’t happen again before coming back stronger for the next race in Japan.”
There’s no getting around it, this weekend’s Grand Prix result was tough, as we were forced to withdraw both cars before the start of the race for the first time in more than 20 years. But one race doesn’t define a season, and Andrea was keen to rally in the face of Sunday’s setback.
There were positives to take from the weekend, particularly in Sprint Qualifying, where Oscar and Lando showed strong pace. As Andrea explained, the team will take the lessons from this weekend and return stronger in Japan.
Running since 2005, the Chinese McLaren Fan Club is home to some of our most passionate supporters. Throughout the season, members regularly come together for race watch-alongs and even organise go-karting days of their own. But the biggest date on their calendar is always the Chinese Grand Prix, so while we were in Shanghai this weekend, we made sure to catch up with them.
Across 20 years of supporting McLaren as part of the fan club, they’ve enjoyed many unforgettable experiences and met several of their heroes along the way, but one driver they hadn’t yet had the chance to meet was Oscar.
So, of course, we made it happen.
Ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, you may have seen that we asked Lando to name his favourite gifts he’d received from fans. As you may remember, his answer was handmade bracelets.
Well… move over jewellery, because there’s a new contender: Labubu – the hugely popular Chinese plushie. Or, as this one’s now known… LaLando.
Beautifully packaged and gifted with love from China, Lando’s smile when he opened it said it all. Safe to say, we’re hoping to get our hands on one of our own soon.
We’ve all been there. You’re playing party games at a family get-together, and you’ve got Mika Häkkinen’s name on your forehead. Everyone else can see it, but you can’t, and they’re shouting increasingly desperate hints, growing more and more frustrated that you just can’t piece it together.
What could be more fun, right? Well, ahead of this weekend’s F1 Academy opener, we challenged Lando, Ella Lloyd and Ella Stevens to a classic game of Heads Up with an F1 twist.
Despite some rather questionable clues and a few dodgy guesses, they kept their cool remarkably well – much calmer than when we played this game at last year’s McLaren end-of-season party.
While we’re not ones to self-promote, we simply couldn’t hide our happiness at seeing these flags in China, and realising that the McLaren Racing Club had already inspired its own fan club.
Announced at the 2026 Team Launch, the McLaren Racing Club replaced McLaren Plus, and aims to bring an upgraded fan experience. And while it’s been popular in its first few weeks, we weren’t expecting it to spark its own fan following - complete with homemade flags!
Knowing how to style a bag is a skill that can instantly upgrade any outfit. Rather than cramming your pockets with essentials like your phone, keys, wallet, portable charger, and hand sanitiser, carry them in a bag that looks stylish. But not just any bag: a tired, battered backpack or satchel will drag your look down. Take Lando’s lead and go for something casual but cool, such as this sleek shoulder bag.
After a couple of key recovery days, the team will be regroup in the McLaren Factory and dive into the data gathered from the first two rounds of the season. We'll then repack our bags and head to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix on 27-29 March, where we'll aim to bounce back following last weekend's tough Chinese Grand Prix.
