Round 02 | China

"We have lots of work ahead of us in all areas""We have lots of work ahead of us in all areas"

Sunday in Shanghai proved very challenging as we recorded a double DNF in the Chinese Grand Prix. Read on for the reaction from the team trackside.

Our drivers were promoted four places at lights out as issues for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Alex Albon, and Gabriel Bortoleto meant they could not take the start.
Fernando, as he was in Melbourne, was quick off the mark and found himself in P10 at the end of the first lap, though would soon after begin to drop down the running order.
Both drivers started on the Hard tyre, with the view to utilising a one-stop strategy.
Unfortunately, a suspected battery issue brought Lance's race to an end on lap 10.
On lap 34, Fernando also had to retire after feeling discomfort in the cockpit due to vibrations.
Finally, in F1 ACADEMY, Mathilda Paatz finished P11 in Race Two of the opening round of the championship.

THE LATEST FROM THE TRACK

Welcome to Shanghai

Following the claustrophobic confines of Albert Park, the Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit presents a rather different environment to see F1's new era. The second half of the season-opening double header features long straights and a mix of sweeping corners and tight turns – all set against a background that features one of the world's most vibrant, 24-hour Alpha Cities.

It's going to be an intense weekend with just one practice session ahead of the first Sprint race of the year. We’re also getting a first chance to see Mathilda Paatz competing in Aston Martin Racing Green colours. Our newest Driver Academy recruit begins her first full F1 ACADEMY campaign this weekend, racing for 2025 champions PREMA Racing. She featured as a wildcard entry in last year's Montréal rounds, but this year represents a big step forwards.

RACE STARTS IN:

days

hrs

mins

secs

Session Times

FP1

SPR

Quali

Race

Toggle below to highlight parts of the track.

Sectors
Turns
Straight-line Mode
Overtake Mode

The first three corners at Shanghai International Circuit are the key areas. You need a car that is good on entry, and that has front-end consistency and traction.

Pedro de la Rosa

Number of corners
16
Number of laps
56
Race distance
305.066km

CHINESE GP ESSENTIALS

THE CIRCUIT

THE GRAND PRIX

THE STRATEGY

THE FACTS

THE TRAVEL GUIDE

LAST TIME OUT IN SHANGHAI

THE CIRCUIT

Shanghai International Circuit is noted for two things: two long straights, and two long, multi-apex corners. The latter are sometimes referred to as 'snails' – though nautilus would be closer to the mark, given their tightening radii that wind around and back on themselves. The first is a complex at the end of the start-finish straight, the second leads onto the back straight.

The length of the straights would usually suggest a low-drag, low-downforce car but because of the snails, and the hairpins at Turns Six and 14, the time spend at full-throttle in Shanghai is quite low. This means the teams tend to add more downforce – but how much more is a tricky proposition.

This is one of the easier circuits on which to overtake – so take off too much, and the cars are sitting ducks at the end of the straight. On the other hand, take off too little, and the cars are slow coming out of the second snail onto the backstraight, and likewise struggle to defend or attack.

It's also a circuit at which wear has to be managed very carefully. The track is front-limited, with the first corner complex being difficult to manage, as the cars are turning-in before the drivers touch the brakes, scrubbing-off speed, and potentially sliding as they head through the tightening turn. Too aggressive here and the front-left will struggle.

The first and third sectors have the long straights and slow corners, but the middle sector is more flowing, with medium- and high-speed corners. It is, however, the two corners at the very end of the lap that tend to attract the most attention: The T14/T15 Hairpin at the end of the long back-straight is the prime overtaking spot in Shanghai. It's tough to defend, given an attacking driver can use either the inside or outside lines.

Squabbles that aren't settled at the hairpin can carry on to the final corner – though this can be dramatic even for a single car: it can be bumpy, and cars running wide are at risk of spinning-out. It's also a corner that Race Control pay careful attention to for track limits. Drivers can lose Qualifying laps for straying off here – either the lap they're on or the lap they're about to start.

Regarding those bumps: the nature of the circuit plays a part. You'll have noticed the novel paddock, with the team hospitality buildings perched on stilts above a lagoon. The track is built on boggy ground, and develops new lumps and bumps every year as a result. The authorities will grind and patch – but each race tends to be a new experience.

THE GRAND PRIX

The Chinese Grand Prix has been a fixture on the F1 calendar since 2004, originally as an end-of-season race, before switching to early season in 2009. It had a longer hiatus due to the global pandemic than most circuits, but returned to the fold in 2024 with a Sprint added to the event.

This format limits teams to a single practice session before pitching them into a qualifying session. A tweak to the format, introduced in 2024, does allow setup changes to be made after the Sprint and before Qualifying – but it's not really a substitute for grinding out the laps in practice. Especially at this time of year, it makes the result highly uncertain.

The circuit is a designated tourist zone, with exhibitions and theme-park attractions on site, though it is tucked out of the way in the suburb of Jiading. Given Shanghai is one of the world's premium Alpha Cities, that's quite a distance from the bright lights of the centre but the track has its own metro station, whisking fans back and forth with rapidity – which makes it very easy to visit the circuit during the day and explore everything Shanghai has to offer at night.

We say 'everything' Shanghai has to offer. The reality is we could have all 24 races at the Shanghai International Circuit and never get close to running out of things to do in Shanghai. From ancient, tranquil gardens, through its mercantile history as a trading centre in the age of sail, up to the gleaming spires of the modern-day skyscrapers, there's always another market, museum or observation deck to visit. And the city never sleeps, so you can pick your own timetable.

THE STRATEGY

Shanghai is a tricky track to call, given that some years it's rear-limited and others it’s front-limited, with the balance shifting around according to the track temperature. What we do know is that the 2026 cars put a lot more stress on the rear axle, thanks to the impressive amount of torque they can deliver.

China continues to be a Sprint weekend, and we have the same allocation of compounds as last year, when the pre-race sims suggested a two-stop Medium-Hard-Hard race, but the actual race – which ran without interruption – was a one-stop Medium-Hard race for most, including the top five finishers, albeit with an early, offset pitstop that suggested most teams were hedging their bets and planning two. A couple of cars still tried the suggested two-stop, while Lance tried the reverse one-stop with a Hard-Medium race.

How does this translate for 2026? Pirelli’s intention for this year was to create a tyre that is a little more robust than its predecessor, and this was borne-out in testing and – to a certain extent – in Australia where there graining was quite light. That makes the one-stop look likely... but with little chance to practice in China and potential for a rear-limited race, it's difficult to state that with the confidence that would have been natural coming here 12 months ago.

THE FACTS

1 | The Chinese Grand Prix was first held in 2004 and ran uninterrupted until 2019, after which it went on hiatus because of the global pandemic, returning in 2024. Every Chinese Grand Prix has been held at this circuit.

2 | Everything at the Shanghai International circuit exists on a grand scale. It has the biggest paddock in F1 and the grandstands can hold 200,000 spectators. The main grandstand alone has room for 30,000 people.

3 | The Shanghai International Circuit is notionally laid out in a pattern similar to the Chinese character 'Shang' (上), meaning 'above' or 'ascend' and the first character in the name of the city.

4 | The design of the paddock, with its hospitality buildings build on stilts over the lagoon, reached by winding pathways, is inspired by Shanghai's historic Yu Gardens. There are maps around the periphery – but everyone gets lost at some point over the weekend.

5 | Fernando set fastest lap in 2024. The 25th of his F1 career.

6 | Two of Fernando's 32 victories have come on this circuit, winning in 2005 and 2013.

7 | Lance was the quickest car of all in a straight line in Shanghai in 2024, hitting 347.4 km/h (215.9 mph) in the speed trap.

8 | Lance's first-ever Q3 appearance came at the Shanghai International Circuit in 2017.

THE TRAVEL GUIDE

The Shanghai International Circuit is indeed in Shanghai – but Shanghai is massive with 30 million people living within the metropolitan area, and thus the circuit is quite a distance from the bright lights of the city's core. Fortunately, the excellent metro system has a station at the track, and after a day at the circuit, there's an awful lot to see within easy reach.

There are parts of the world where you want to avoid the tourist traps. Shanghai isn't one of them. Go to the Ming Dynasty Yu Gardens, take a walk along The Bund at night and take in the sites of the former International Settlement, or the former French Concession.

Do some high-class shopping on Nanjing Road – or one of the fake markets, if you prefer a bargain – and day or night, head up to the world's highest observation platform on the 100th floor of the Shanghai World Financial Centre, providing you don't mind the glass floor.

Also, if you're heading to Shanghai to watch F1, chances are you enjoy things that go fast. If so, don't miss the opportunity to ride on the Pudong Airport Maglev. It's been turned-down a little bit from its former top speed of 433km/h – but it's still the fastest thing on magnets.

Set sail: Unforgettable landmarks and stunning skylines, click here to explore Shanghai and more of China's irresistible charms with Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

LAST TIME OUT IN SHANGHAI

2024 was our first visit to the Chinese Grand Prix. It was a tough weekend, with both cars acquiring damage, and both drivers picking-up penalties.

Fernando qualified P3 for both the Sprint and the Grand Prix. He suffered a DNF in the Sprint following a puncture but came home P7 in an eventful race and grabbed the extra point for fastest lap.

Lance qualified P15 for the Sprint and finished P14. He was P11 on the grid for the race, but a tough afternoon on track left him coming home P15.

Last year was also a Sprint weekend, and the cars finished just outside the points in ninth and 10th in the Sprint race. Things were equally agonising at the start of the Grand Prix, with Fernando retiring early after a brake fire. Lance, however, had an excellent afternoon, rising from P14 on the grid to finish P9.

F1 ACADEMY

Mathilda Paatz is keeping things simple

The Chinese Grand Prix weekend marks the start of Mathilda's first F1 ACADEMY season. We catch up with the newest member of our Driver Academy ahead of her first race in Aston Martin Racing Green.