From Schumacher’s last victory to Formula 1’s 1000th Grand Prix: five memorable moments at the Shanghai Circuit
2004: Barrichello wins on the new circuit
2004 marked the debut of the Chinese Grand Prix, set to host Formula 1 at the Shanghai Circuit – at least initially – until 2011. Qualifying immediately delivered a twist: Schumacher, unexpectedly, was relegated to the back of the grid due to a spin on his flying lap. Barrichello took full advantage, and fresh off his Monza victory in the previous round, he once again started from pole position.
A race that, in reality, had relatively low stakes, as both championships had already gone to Maranello: Schumacher had secured his fifth consecutive title a few races earlier in Belgium, while Ferrari had claimed its sixth straight Constructors’ Championship. However, this did not diminish Barrichello’s joy, as he won in style ahead of Button and Räikkönen, claiming his ninth and final victory at the wheel of a Ferrari.
2006: Schumacher’s last triumph
The Shanghai Circuit was once again painted in Ferrari red, this time thanks to Michael Schumacher, in what would be the final victory of his career. The qualifying session did not suggest a Ferrari triumph, as the German could only manage sixth place, far from the front row occupied by the Renaults of Alonso and Fisichella.
The race was held mostly in wet conditions due to rain that had fallen in the hours leading up to the Grand Prix. The decisive factor for Schumacher was the tires: at the time, Formula 1 did not have a single tire supplier, with Bridgestone and Michelin splitting the teams. Initially, it seemed that the cars running on Michelin tires had the advantage on the damp track, but the situation turned around. As the track gradually dried, the Bridgestone-equipped Ferrari steadily gained ground, with Schumacher executing a slow yet relentless comeback.
The German driver managed to close in on the leading positions and, taking advantage of some pit stop and on-track issues for Alonso and Fisichella, took control of the race. The Spaniard did everything he could to regain the lead, but Schumacher held firm until the finish line, claiming his 91st and final career victory. The Kaiser’s triumph in Shanghai fueled hopes of a dramatic eighth world title, before his Ferrari’s engine let him down at Suzuka.
2007: Hamilton’s fatal mistake
Winning the drivers’ championship with McLaren in his debut Formula 1 season, ahead of a “dominant” teammate like Fernando Alonso, would have been too much even for Lewis Hamilton. In 2007, heading into the Chinese Grand Prix – the penultimate race of the season – the British driver was leading the drivers’ standings, with a 12-point advantage over Alonso and 17 over Räikkönen. A win, along with several possible combinations of results from his rivals, would have made him world champion with a race to spare.
Starting from pole position, the British driver quickly fended off attacks from his rivals, building a solid lead. However, around the middle of the race, rain created some headaches for Hamilton in managing his tires. The team did not call him into the pits when the issues arose, as Räikkönen was becoming increasingly threatening in his mirrors.
When the situation on track became untenable, Hamilton was called into the pits for a tire change. With his tires worn down to the canvas, the McLaren driver ended up running wide as he entered the pit lane, ruining his race. His retirement paved the way for Räikkönen, who won and reopened the title fight, eventually securing the championship in the next race in São Paulo. But that’s another story.
2010: The strange case of Buemi
Sébastien Buemi‘s Formula 1 career lasted only a few years, from 2009 to 2011, all spent with Toro Rosso. A short period, but long enough for him to become involved in one of the most bizarre incidents ever to occur. During the free practice sessions of the 2010 Chinese Grand Prix, the Swiss driver was driving down the long straight leading to the sharp turn 14. At the moment of braking, traveling at over 300 km/h Buemi lost both of his rear wheels. Literally.
When the driver began braking, both front suspensions of his car failed, causing the wheels to detach from their mounts. One of the wheels even flew past the protective fence, narrowly missing a cameraman and destroying his camera. Buemi emerged unscathed, but rumors quickly spread about the potential cause of such a unique and potentially dangerous incident. The explanation came directly from Toro Rosso, who attributed the fault to a defect in a batch of new hub carriers that had just been installed and had not been tested beforehand. It was just a big scare, though, and Buemi’s incident remains one of the strangest ever seen in Formula 1.
2019: The 1000th Grand Prix in history
The 2019 edition in Shanghai marked the 1000th Grand Prix in the history of Formula 1. For the occasion, celebratory events were organized in the days leading up to the race to honor this historic milestone in motorsport, with vintage helmets, suits, and cars setting the scene.
The festive atmosphere outside the circuit was perhaps made less exciting by the race, which was far from competitive. It was the era of Mercedes dominance, with other teams often forced to play catch-up. Even from qualifying, it was clear that the race would be one-sided, as Bottas – winner of the opening race in Australia – secured pole position ahead of Hamilton.
Thanks to a less-than-ideal start, Bottas ended up losing position to his teammate. In a demonstration of Mercedes’ dominance, both cars were called into the pits on the same lap, with the mechanics executing a flawless double pit stop. Hamilton won, with Bottas completing the third consecutive 1-2 finish for Mercedes, something not seen since 1992, when Williams achieved the same feat. The 2019 Chinese Grand Prix also marked the last race held at the Shanghai Circuit before the COVID-19 pandemic excluded it from the calendar, with the circuit returning in 2024.
Photo: Formula 1, Rainer W. Schlegelmilch, Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team
