Chinese Grand Prix 14th April
The circuit
A circuit designed by architects Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl, the Shanghai International Circuit is intended to trace the word “above” or “up” in Chinese character, which is the character for the Shang in Shanghai.
It is known for its longest straight in the season, which is connected by an interesting mix of low, medium and high-speed corners. The tricky corners are turn 1 leading into the fast twisty lines of turn 2 and 3, and turn 13 where it is crucial to get on the throttle at the exit for the long back straight.
The paddock
The paddock at the Shanghai International Circuit is the only one of the Formula One circuits built on a swamp. Each team has a “villa” with a pond where koi fish swim and beautiful flowers bloom during the spring months when the race takes place. The paddock is also the largest in both length and width, not including the pond and villa area, and is often a challenge for team members needing to get somewhere in a hurry.
Tyres
Medium, Soft and Ultrasoft – Pirelli decided to skip the Supersoft tyres hoping for a mix in strategies among the teams and their race tyre choices. The track surface is smooth and possibly slippery, and the lateral tyre stress is rather high due to the fast and flowing corners of the circuit.
