Chinese Grand Prix Track Guide

The Shanghai International Circuit made it on to the F1 Scene in the year 2004 and for the last few years has produced some of the most exciting races. Designed by legendary F1 circuit architect Hermann Tilke, the circuit is the perfect combination of fast straights and twisty corners. So, let’s take a flying lap around it.

Sector 1:

Sector 1 starts with the long pit straight and heading into turn 1, the cars carry speeds of more than 300 kph.

Pit Straight

The first corner of the circuit is quite an iconic one as the cars carry a lot of speed into the bend but midway into the corner, drivers start to brake and shift downwards as the corner keeps on tightening.

Entry into Turn 1

Turn 1: Hairpin bend

Turn 2 is a very slow speed second gear corner and the drivers have to hit the apex absolutely spot on to get the perfect line out of turn 2 and into another slow speed second gear corner turn 3.

Downhill into turn 3

The drivers start building speed from the exit of turn 3 and are usually flat-out through turn 4 and 5, up-till turn 6.

Exit out of Turn 4 heading upto Turn 5

To get a perfect sector 1 the driver needs to feather the throttle perfectly through the exit of turns 3 and 4 to maximise the speed on the short straight leading to turn 6.

Turn 6 is a very slow first gear corner and it’s one of those corner where drivers have to be perfect with his braking as its very easy to lock up the front tyres and just overshoot the corner. Also, the braking zone for turn 6 is very bumpy and so the cars need to have good braking stability.

Turn 6 Hairpin

Sector 2:

The exit of turn 6 marks the start of sector 2. Turn 6 is followed by a short straight which leads into the fast and twisty turn 7 and 8. Drivers jink first left for turn 7 and then touch the brakes and jink right into medium speed corner turn 8. Turn 7 can usually be taken flat-out during qualifying on low fuel but turn 8 requires precision braking and positioning of the car.

Fast and twisty Turn 7

Medium speed corner Turn 8

Then comes the slow but tight turn 9 and 10, which can be called as one long tight left-hander. Turns 9 and 10 demand good throttle application and the exit out of turn 10 is very important to make most of the straight leading into Turn 11.

Tight left hander at turn 9 .

Sector 3:

The braking zone of turn 11 marks the end of second sector and the start of the very fast Third sector. Turn 11 leads into the twisty and the most difficult turn 12 and 13. This part of the track is where bulk of the time can be made and the car needs to have good aerodynamic stability to accomplish the fast bend at turn 13.

Slow speed Turn 11 and 12

The difference between a car with aerodynamic grip can be best seen through turns 12 and 13. The drivers start building speed out of slow right-hander at turn 12 and then try to get maximum throttle as quickly as possible through turn 13. But, a little early and bit too much throttle an easily spin the car out of control and into the barrier at the exit of turn 13.

Very Long and Banked Turn 13

Turn 13 is followed by a long 1.2 km straight and it’s very important to be quick through the twisty turn 12 and 13 to make most out of this long straight. The DRS Zone will be on this straight and this where bulk of overtaking is likely to take place.

Exit of turn 13 and onto the 1.2 Km Straight

At the end of the long straight is a very slow turn 14 hairpin bend and the drivers have to get their braking right especially on heavy fuel loads and while overtaking in the race.

Turn 14 Hairpin Bend

Turn 15 is followed up by a short straight, which leads into the final corner of the circuit turn 16.

Turn 15 Kink

Turn 16 is a medium speed left-hander and the drivers just touch the brakes slightly at the entry on turn 16 and then go flat-out on the long pit straight to complete the lap.

Final Corner Turn 16

Image Courtsey: @WilliamsF1Team