Chinese grand prix
Australia, China F1 races postponed as coronavirus hits 2021 calendar
The Australian race, usually the season-opener, was delayed from March to November, but no new date was set for the Chinese Grand Prix in a rejigged 2021...
The addition of the four races and cutting of the Chinese Grand Prix brings the race total to 17 for the season.
Several British media outlets ran unsourced reports on Wednesday saying the Shanghai race, the fourth of the new season, will be either postponed or cancelled.
Hamilton was pipped for pole position by Bottas by just 0.023 seconds in qualifying and had said that he was "struggling with the car".
The German completed his best lap in one minute, 33.911 seconds, going 0.207 seconds faster than Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton on a cool and overcast day at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The 28-year-old Australian is out of contract at the end of the year and has been linked to potential vacancies at Ferrari and Formula One champions Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton lapped the 5.4-kilometer long circuit in one minute, 31.678 seconds in his Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton trails Nico Rosberg by 17 points in the standings.
The sport had looked set to retain its unpopular qualifying format in China.
A seething Nico Rosberg said team-mate Lewis Hamilton had compromised his race by driving too slow.
Hamilton's team-mate Nico Rosberg is in second and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel will start in third.
Fernando Alonso‘s victory in China was also the 31st win of his career.