Formula 1 makes a return to Asia next week for the China Grand Prix. This is the first time since 2019 that a race has been held in China, marking the debut of the ground-effect cars on the Shanghai International Circuit.
The coronavirus pandemic meant there has been a five-year wait for fans to watch the action unfold in person. Still, the hiatus is finally over as Max Verstappen looks to overcome the DNF in Melbourne – unsurprisingly the favourite to pick up the victory in Shanghai.
Last time out, Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes picked up the victory in the British driver’s 75th career win, enjoying one his brightest starts as he marked the first time that a team scored a one-two finish to the first three races of a season since Williams over 20 years ago.
From the last six Chinese Grands Prix, Mercedes have won five, with Red Bull winning just one in 2018 with Daniel Ricciardo, but will hope Verstappen can add to their tally. Both Ferrari and McLaren have also been very strong on this circuit in years gone by.
Key Dates and Track Overview
This is the first time the alternative schedule has been incorporated, with this being the first sprint race of the season.
The three sessions taking place at the weekend can be followed on Friday, with sprint qualifying at 8:30 am BST, before the sprint race on Saturday, and then the Chinese Grand Prix at 8 am on Sunday, April 21.
The track itself is renowned for its challenging layout, featuring long straights and tight corners, providing ample opportunities for overtaking.
Details of the Shanghai International Circuit
Number of laps: 56
DRS-zones: 2
Circuit Length: 5.451km
Lap Record: 1:32.238
Race distance: 305.066km
Not everyone is pleased
In summary, the schedule has been restructured to enhance the spectacle of F1 racing, with the Sprint Race now taking centre stage on Saturday to try and attract more viewers both inside the track and those watching from home.
Following the conclusion of the Japanese Grand Prix, it’s fair to say not everyone is happy with the decision to include a sprint race in the schedule, with the previous race’s winner Verstappen believing it is a strange reason due to a number of ‘unknown factors’
“It’s very smart to do that,” the Dutchman said sarcastically. I think it’s not great, let’s say like that, to do that. Because when you have been away from a track for quite a while, I think you never know what you’re going to experience, right? So, it would have been better to have a normal race weekend there”,
“On the other hand, it probably spices things up a bit more, and that’s maybe what they would like to see.”
“But purely from a driving perspective, performance perspective of the sport, I think it’s not the smartest thing to do. We’ll see what we get there, I always loved driving there. Hopefully, we can hit the ground running as well as we can, and hopefully, we don’t need to fine-tune too many things on the car”, he further added.
Big Talking Points
While the Dutchman dominates the antepost odds on most leading UK betting apps, it looks as if Red Bull have enough to get over the line, with Sergio Perez finishing second in three of his last five races, and could finally secure his first victory in almost a year, when he won the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Alan Permane is well aware that the performances of Ricciardo have been lacklustre. After finishing 19th in Japan, the Australian suffered a crash at Suzuka, and will be desperate to try and score some points after questions were asked of his car following what has been a sharp decline.
Elsewhere, Charles Leclerc can never be underestimated. Despite being a 16/1 outsider for a podium, the Monégasque has yet to really get going this season and has been critical of his own performances, but his rivalry with Carlos Sainz is always great to watch, with the pair likely to be in competition with each other again in Shanghai.
Overall, the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix might have its critics but there is every chance that once the action begins all will be forgotten, especially since we have been waiting for so long for the race to return to China. Attention will also be on local talent as they aim to shine in front of their home crowd, adding an extra layer of excitement to the event, with Zhou Guanyu perhaps the best bet after his 16th-place finish in Japan.
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