Formula 1 2018 @Heineken #ChineseGP Preview #F1
2017 Formula 1 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix start, Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. Image credit to Lars Baron/Getty Images.
After Sebastian Vettel held off a fast charging Silver Arrow of Valtteri Bottas to claim his 49th career victory in Bahrain, round three of the 2018 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the Shanghai International Circuit in China this weekend for the Formula 1 2018 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix. This will be the 15th Chinese Grand Prix since 2004 when it first debuted on the Formula One calendar.
A look at the Shanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a permanent racing circuit located in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People’s Republic of China.
Costing approximately 2.6 billion yuan ($450 million US), the circuit was financed by a joint ventured government-funded company, consisting of the Shanghai Juss Corporation, Shanghai National Property Management Co Ltd, and Shanghai Jia’an Investment and Development Co Ltd. Architectural.
Circuit designers Hermann Tilke and Peter Wahl began visiting and planning the area between April and May 2003 and with a team of 3000 engineers working around the clock, the site was transformed from swampland to international racetrack within 18 months to be ready for its debut on the Formula One calendar in 2004.
The circuit layout was inspired by Chinese character ‘Shang’, the first character in the name of the city Shanghai meaning ‘high’ or ‘above’.
Other symbols represented in its remarkable architecture originate from Chinese history, such as the team buildings which are arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai. The main grandstand with 29,000 capacity seating provides spectacular viewing of almost 80 percent of the circuit.
The circuit shows uniqueness with its change of acceleration and deceleration within different winding turns, making high demands on driver and car but also for its high-speed straights. Another one of the main features of the circuit is the ‘Tilke trademark’ long back-straight followed by a hairpin. These offer exciting overtaking opportunities.
The Shanghai International Circuit runs in a clockwise direction and is 5.451km (3.388 miles) in length with 16 corners.
The race distance is 305.066km (189.599 miles) in length with 56 laps in total.
Michael Schumacher holds the fastest lap record at the Shanghai International Circuit set in 2004 with a 1:32.238 in his Ferrari F2004.
Lewis Hamilton holds the record for most victories at the Chinese Grand Prix with five wins to his name.
Mercedes are the most successful constructors at the Chinese Grand Prix with five victories.
The Last Five Winners
2017: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2016: Nico Rosberg, Mercedes AMG F1. 2015: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2014: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes AMG F1. 2013: Fernando Alonso, Scuderia Ferrari.
Tyres
Pirelli, F1’s sole tyre supplier will be bringing with them to Shanghai, the white-marked “Medium”, the yellow-branded “Soft” and the pink-marked “Ultra-Softs” over the race weekend including the green-marked “Intermediate” and blue-marked “Full Wet” tyres in case of rain.
Mercedes have opted for a cautious approach in Shanghai with both drivers taking six sets of the softest tyres on offer.
Reigning champion Lewis Hamilton has selected six sets of the yellow-marked soft compound, more than any other driver in the field.
Ferrari have gone a lot more aggressive with their choices, selecting eight sets of the purple-branded ultras, three sets of softs and two sets of the mediums for both Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen.
Red Bull have stuck in the middle compared to it’s rivals, with both Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen given seven sets of the ultras, four sets of the softs and two sets of the medium compounds.
The only other team besides Mercedes to choose six sets of ultras was Force India, but the Silverstone squad has gone with three sets of the white-branded mediums, the same as Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team’s Charles Leclerc.
DRS Zones
As in 2017, there will be two DRS Zones for the Chinese Grand Prix weekend. The first detection point is at turn 12 with the activation point 752 metres before turn 14. The second detection point is 35 metres before the final corner with the activation point 98 metres after turn 16 on the main straight.
Pitlane Speeds
Pitlane speeds will be 80km/h during Practice, Qualifying and the Race.
ICYMI: Bahrain GP Flashback
Sebastian Vettel survived a late charge from a fast charging Valtteri Bottas to win a thrilling Bahrain Grand Prix.
The German held on to a finger biting finish as Bottas, on the more durable mediums to Vettel’s rapidly degrading softer compounds, just failed to snatch the victory.
When the 57 lap Bahrain Grand Prix began, pole sitter Vettel got a great run off the line while Bottas got by Raikkonen into turn one, and Vettel built a comfortable gap of over three seconds in his first stint.
Bottas started to hit back when and was only two seconds behind as the Scuderia pitted race leader Vettel for the yellow-branded softs.
Ferrari team-mate Raikkonen followed suit a lap later as Bottas remained out for another two laps, with the two SF71H racers getting to grips with the fresher rubber.
When Bottas finally made his stop for the medium compounds, Vettel’s lead was more than eight seconds ahead and Raikkonen was closing in on the Silver Arrows.
The leading trio remained stable for a few laps, until Vettel caught Hamilton who was running on a longer first stint on the softs and started ninth as the German waited to pass the Mercedes.
Raikkonen pulled in for a second stop that hoped would throw a strategic curveball in the lead battle but ended up taking him out of the fight.
The Finn moved away before the left rear tyre was fitted and struck the mechanic’s leg while Raikkonen stopped immediately in pit lane with three fresh supersofts and the unchanged soft on his car and was forced to retire.
The on-track action continued as Vettel was preparing to commit to a two-stop strategy but stuck to a one stopper as his pace remained stable and Bottas failed to close him down.
The lead dropped under five seconds with almost 10 laps remaining, and suddenly Vettel’s lead started rapidly falling.
Bottas got within DRS range with two laps remaining but only got within a sniff of the Ferrari at turn one on the last lap and was the only chance the Finn had.
Vettel crossed the line 0.699 seconds ahead of Bottas to claim his 49th career victory in his 200th Grand Prix start.
Hamilton completed the top three for the Silver Arrows 6.512 seconds off Vettel with Toro Rosso’s Pierre Gasly finishing an incredible fourth place in the team’s second race with Honda power.
Gasly kept clear of the feisty Haas of Kevin Magnussen and Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg, who tangled wheels through turn two, but the Frenchman somehow remained unscathed and was error-free for the rest of the Grand Prix to clinch his first points in Formula One to cap off a brilliant weekend.
Magnussen then survived a close-call with Haas F1 Team-mate Romain Grosjean, who was on older rubber, at turn two in the second half of the 57-lap race to complete the top five.
McLaren’s Fernando Alonso jumped from 13th to ninth on the first lap and drove a solid race after the Woking-based squad endured a dismal qualifying session.
The Spaniard caught Hulkenberg’s RS18 in the closing laps but had to settle for seventh and ahead of McLaren team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne who was eighth and put his white-marked mediums to effective use.
Sauber’s Marcus Ericsson scored his first points since the 2015 Italian Grand Prix taking ninth place after a long first stint on the softs before switching to medium tyres and making the one stop strategy work.
Renault’s Carlos Sainz completed the top 10 to take the last point on offer.
It was a horrible day for Red Bull Racing as both driver’s races were cut incredibly short as Max Verstappen squeezed Hamilton too much exiting the first corner after overtaking the Briton on the start of the second lap, which damaged his left-rear tyre and caused a puncture.
The Dutchman made it back to the pits and changed tyres but pulled off due to a differential issue.
Team-mate Daniel Ricciardo’s Grand Prix ended early when his RB14 racer shutdown upon the exit of the turn eight hairpin.
The Situation
Sebastian Vettel comes to Shanghai sitting on top of the Driver’s Championship with 50 points, 17 clear of close rival Lewis Hamilton who is second on 33 points. A further 28 points behind Vettel in third is Valtteri Bottas who is on 22 points.
Ferrari return to the Shanghai International Circuit on top of the Constructors Championship with 55 points. 10 clear of arch rivals Mercedes who is second on 55 points. McLaren sits third on 22 points and a further 43 behind the Scuderia.
2018 Formula 1 World Drivers Championship Standings
- Sebastian Vettel – 50 Points.
- Lewis Hamilton – 33 Points.
- Valtteri Bottas – 22 Points.
- Fernando Alonso – 16 Points.
- Kimi Raikkonen – 15 Points.
- Nico Hulkenberg – 14 Points.
- Daniel Ricciardo – 12 Points.
- Pierre Gasly – 12 Points.
- Kevin Magnussen – 10 Points.
- Max Verstappen – 8 Points.
2018 World Constructors Championship Standings
- Scuderia Ferrari – 65 Points.
- Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport – 55 Points.
- McLaren-Renault F1 Team – 22 Points.
- Aston Martin Red Bull Racing – 20 Points.
- Renault Sport F1 Team – 15 Points.
- Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda – 12 Points.
- Haas F1 Team – 10 Points.
- Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team – 2 Points.
- Force India F1 Team – 1 Point.
- Williams Martini Racing – 0 Points.
The Formula 1 2018 Heineken Chinese Grand Prix weekend kicks off Friday April 13 with Free Practice 1 and 2, Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday April 14 and the 56 lap Chinese Grand Prix Sunday April 15.
