Formula 1: Looking back at the last five Shanghai races
By Kevin Nguyen
Formula 1 drivers have regarded the Chinese Grand Prix as one of the more technical tracks on the calendar. Will 2018 bring any change?
The Chinese Grand Prix host, the Shanghai International Circuit, has been regarded by Formula 1 drivers as one of the toughest technical circuits to come from a Hermann Tilke-designed track. With a mixture of slow corners and a long, high-speed hairpin, the 5.451-kilometer (3.38-mile) circuit tests drivers’ patience as well as their cars
As we prepare for the 15th edition of the Chinese Grand Prix, look back at the last five races contested at the Shanghai International Circuit.
2013
The 2013 Chinese Grand Prix was one of two races Fernando Alonso would win in 2013, the other being his home race in Spain. Starting from the second row in 3rd place, Alonso in the Ferrari F138 took the lead briefly on lap 5 before teammate Felipe Massa took over.
In all, Alonso would lead four separate times for a total of 31 laps. The Spaniard’s jostling with Sebastian Vettel in the Red Bull RB9 in the second half of the race was especially entertaining as the two world champions traded lead stints as if they were at the Indianapolis 500.
Alonso would take over from Vettel permanently on lap 43 and extend his winning margin to 10.168 seconds over Kimi Raikkonen, as Vettel finished in 4th place. While four cars retired, no safety cars were deployed.
2014
The 2014 race was largely uneventful. No lead changes occurred as Lewis Hamilton took the win from lights out to the flag starting from pole position. His 18.062-second margin of victory over teammate Nico Rosberg made the 2014 race an easy Sunday drive for Hamilton. The race was shortened, however, due to an early checkered flag error, reducing the race to 54 laps instead of 56.
2015
Lewis Hamilton again dominated in 2015 as he did the previous year. Starting from pole, he led 53 of the race’s 56 laps and the top 3 remained unchanged from their starting positions. When Max Verstappen’s Toro Rosso stalled on the front stretch without any way of recovery two laps until the checkered flag, the safety car was deployed, neutralizing the race and causing it to finish under the safety car.
2016
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It was a rare non-front row lockout in 2016 for Mercedes as Nico Rosberg took pole but Lewis Hamilton had to start from the back because of a gearbox change during qualifying, causing the Briton to miss qualifying altogether.
Hamilton would recover to finish in 7th place, while Rosberg took an easy win in Shanghai after leading the last 54 laps of the race. The gap to 2nd place was over 37 seconds by the time Rosberg took the checkered flag. Sebastian Vettel and Daniil Kvyat would finish out the podium positions. All cars that started the race finished it.
2017
The 2017 edition was another walkover for Lewis Hamilton. Starting from pole, the then three-time champion got away well and never relinquished the lead. Leading all 56 laps of the race and setting the fastest lap with the win, Hamilton secured a Grand Chelem, his first of three in 2017. The rival pair of Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel kept station, finishing in 1st and 2nd place, but the star of the day was Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing, who finished in 3rd after starting in 16th and gaining 13 positions.
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Will there be another charge like Max Verstappen’s in the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix? We’ll see.