Formula 1 returns to the Shanghai International Circuit for the first time since 2019, following a five-year break due to Covid-19 complications.
The circuit was a staple feature on the Formula 1 calendar, hosting the Chinese Grand Prix every year from 2004 until the pandemic swept the globe in 2019.
Compared to centenarians like Monza, the Shanghai International Circuit is one of the youngest tracks on the calendar.
The circuit was constructed in 2003 in the Jiading District of Shanghai, purposely built to host Formula 1 as part of the Shanghai authorities’ plan to showcase the city to the world.
Designed by German driver and engineer Hermann Tilke, the circuit is 5.4km with uniquely tight turns and one of the longest straights perfect for overtaking.
A quick start is crucial at Shanghai as the first two ‘snails’ await the drivers with the famously tight right-hand curves leading the pack immediately into the left-hand Turns 3 and 4.
‘Snails’, referring to the track’s ever-tightening corners, are one of the track’s most notable features with the bends turning nearly 270 degrees in both directions.
Turn 3 sees a hairpin that leads into the even-tighter Turn 4, requiring a speedy and smooth exit to make up the speed on the straight before Turn 5.
With little time to breathe in the first few corners, Sector 1 is tough on both the brakes and the throttle as the car is practically thrown into the straight following the exit from the ‘snails’.
Turn 6 features a right-hand curve with a large run-off area leading into the high-speed chicane of Turn 7 and 8.
The set of left-handers boasts a constant G-force of three, with a minimum speed of 160 km/h (99mph) leading into the two slow left corners at Turn 9 and 10.
Drivers must remain laser-focused and quick, needing a good exit coming out of Turn 10 onto the straight.
Following into the next set of ‘snails’, Turns 11 and 12 are low-traction and slow left-hand chicanes which lead into a long right-hander.
Turn 13 forces a strong exit going into the longest straight on the track of 1.170 km (0.727 miles) heading towards the hairpin at Turn 14.
This second-gear corner is one of the many overtaking zones on the track with DRS available from the straight.
The final corner at Turn 16 is a tricky left-hand curve leading back to the pit straight.
With prime overtaking opportunities at many points in the track, Shanghai is a fan favourite for its challenging corners and long straights.
Hosting the first Sprint weekend of the 2024 season, the circuit has undergone some crucial changes to the track ahead of the race.
Mostly out of use since 2019, the circuit needed some smoothing to the surface before Formula 1 cars hit the track on Friday.
With the re-introduction of ground effect aerodynamics, smoother surfaces are essential as bumpy circuits tend to unsettle the cars.
Track organisers have worked with the circuit designer Tilke to smooth down the track surface, leaving teams with practically no up-to-date data on the track.
Teams had just one hour-long Practice session before Sprint Qualifying on Friday to understand the track’s new surface.
Simone Berra, Pirelli Formula 1 Chief Engineer, told Motorsport.com: “Even for the teams it will be a big challenge, not just for us, but for the teams even more probably. We need to understand how ageing has gone in the last years, in the past, it was quite rough in terms of both micro and macro roughness.”
Reigning World Champion Max Verstappen said: “I think it’s not great 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, so it would have been better to have a normal race weekend there.”
Shanghai has hosted pivotal moments in Formula 1 history, such as seeing Fernando Alonso crowned the then-youngest Drivers’ World Champion in 2005 and hosting the 1000th Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2019.
