Chinese F1 Grand Prix 2018: Start Time, Drivers, TV Schedule and More

Sebastian Vettel and Ferrari will chase their third win of the 2018 Formula One season on Sunday, as the Chinese Grand Prix is the next stop on the calendar.

The Italian team faces a daunting challenge, however, as Mercedes have won the last four races held at the Shanghai International Circuit. Vettel himself hasn't won in China since 2009.

Mercedes have stuttered in their start to the season, however, while Ferrari have soared. A win in China would be a massive statement from the Scuderia, even if the Silver Arrows remain favourites for now.

Date: Sunday, April 15

Time: 7:10 a.m. BST/2:10 a.m. ET

Track: Shanghai International Circuit

TV Info: Sky Sports F1 (UK), ESPN2 (U.S.)

Live Stream: Sky Go (UK), ESPN Player (U.S.)

For the full list of drivers, visit the F1 website.

Ferrari Close the Gap

Mercedes have been the dominant force in Formula 1 for years, impressing with both their reliability and power. While other teams may have an edge in terms of aerodynamics―most notably Red Bull―there has been no beating the Silver Arrows' pace and lack of errors, especially on fast tracks like China's.

The Shanghai International Circuit has a long back straight, the longest in F1, to go with its main straight and technical middle sector. It's perfectly suited for Mercedes, who have dominated the track for years.

It would appear they won't have things so easy this year, however, as the differences in the second practice session were minimal:

Ferrari have found a lot of pace over the winter, and while reliability has been an issue for Red Bull, their long runs have also been impressive.

The averages revealed few gaps between the three top teams:

World champion Lewis Hamilton has won three of the last four races in China and should start Sunday as the favourite, providing Mercedes don't run into more trouble in qualifying. Bottas crashed out of qualifying in Australia, the first in a series of setbacks for Mercedes this season.

Ferrari have mostly gotten their tactics spot-on and have built a championship lead because of it, despite Kimi Raikkonen's poor luck in Bahrain.

His pit stop went horribly wrong, continuing another trend in this year's F1 season:

The Finn has been quick so far this season and will like his chances of grabbing his first win in China since 2007 if Mercedes can't make the most of their pace.