2004
Formula 1 saw two new locations in 2004, Bahrain early in the season and the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix towards the end of the year.
The seeds were sewn for an interesting race in qualifying when Michael Schumacher – who had already clinched his seventh World Championship in Hungary with 12 wins – spun off in qualifying and started from the pit lane.
It was Schumacher who provided the entertainment in Shanghai’s debut race in his efforts to climb up the field. It seemed as if all his bad luck had come at once as he survived a collision with Christian Klien’s Jaguar, spun off at the exit of the long Turn 13 and sustained a puncture late in the race.
Despite being the only race of the year he’d finished outside the points, he still managed to set the fastest lap. Schumacher’s brother Ralf also had a bad day at the office, he had made his return from the horrific crash at Indianapolis and had outpaced his team mate Juan Pablo Montoya all weekend, but an overly ambitious move from David Coulthard took him out of the race.
Ferrari did have something to cheer about though as Rubens Barrichello, who started from pole, put in a flawless performance, fighting off competition from Jenson Button and Kimi Raikkonen to score back-to-back wins for the first and only time in his career.
2009
For 2009, Shanghai moved from the end of the season to form part of the early fly-away races. Sebastian Vettel, starting his third Grand Prix for Red Bull Racing, achieved the team’s first pole position, but race day brought heavy rain.
Not that the weather affected the young German, echoing his performance at Monza the previous year. However he could so easily have had victory snatched from his grasp. On Lap 17 the Safety Car was brought out following a collision between Robert Kubica and Jarno Trulli, the Pole had hit some standing water and careered into the back of the Toyota, ending the Italians race. During the safety car period Vettel’s car was lucky to emerge unscathed when Sebastien Buemi’s Toro Rosso hit the back of the German.
Ferrari’s worst start to a season since 1992 continued when Felipe Massa stopped on track on Lap 20 with an electrical problem, while Kimi Raikkonen limped home in 10th place. World Champion Lewis Hamilton’s difficult start to his title defence also became no easier as a number of mistakes blighted his afternoon, nevertheless the Brit managed sixth.
Up front Vettel put in an incredible drive to take Red Bull’s first ever victory, made even sweeter by Mark Webber completing a one-two finish, with championship leader Jenson Button in third. The first of many for both Vettel and Red Bull.
2010
Suffice to say Shanghai’s most exciting races have come when the weather has played a part and 2010 was no exception. Even in practice one of the most memorable moments of the season occurred when Sebastien Buemi suffered a spectacular double front suspension failure, leaving the Swiss driver lucky to escape unhurt.
In the race itself Fernando Alonso shot into the lead from third on the grid, but the Spaniard had been proved to have jumped the start, a rare lapse of judgement by the double world champion. As the rain began to fall in the early stages, many drivers headed to the pits for intermediate tyres. Nico Rosberg, Jenson Button and Robert Kubica stayed out.
That decision was to prove inspired as the rain was initially not as heavy as expected, and several drivers returned to the pits. Following his drive-through penalty Alonso’s adrenaline rush was even higher as he muscled past his team mate Felipe Massa in the pitlane entrance. Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton also went side-by-side down the pitlane with the German gaining the advantage on exit.
Reigning World Champion Jenson Button took advantage of a mistake by Rosberg to take the lead on Lap 19 and from there the Englishman controlled the race, showing why he was so strong in changeable weather, Hamilton battled through the field to complete a McLaren one-two with Nico Rosberg scoring the first podium for the new Mercedes team.
2007
For the second consecutive year rain affected the race, all drivers started the race on intermediate tyres. Lewis Hamilton led away from his pole position ahead of Kimi Raikkonen’s Ferrari. By half distance as the track began to dry Hamilton’s tyres were fading.
Bizarrely, McLaren opted not to bring Hamilton in, meaning Raikkonen quickly caught him on fresh tyres. The Finn seized the opportunity to take the lead when Hamilton ran wide. Second place would still have been enough for Hamilton to clinch the title but worse was yet to come.
When Hamilton finally headed to the pits his rear tyres had worn right down to the canvas. As he turned into the pit lane he slid wide onto the gravel and was beached. The marshals were unable to move the stricken McLaren and Hamilton retired from a Grand Prix for the first time in his career.
Back on track Robert Kubica lost a chance for potential victory when a hydraulic failure ended his afternoon. This left Räikkönen with a clear path to victory ahead of Fernando Alonso in the other McLaren. The title race had been blown wide open, Hamilton’s misfortune didn’t cost him the championship that day but it’s certainly when he lost it.
2006
Those who miss a tyre war in Formula 1 will wish to recall the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix for it was the competition between Bridgestone and Michelin that shaped the race. Heavy rain before the start of proved beneficial for the Michelin runners and Fernando Alonso led away from the start.
His championship rival Michael Schumacher had started sixth, but when the track began to dry the Bridgestone shod Ferrari started to close in. Alonso had some off-track excursions as he struggled with his tyres and his 25-second lead over Schumacher was decreasing fast.
At the first round of stops Giancarlo Fisichella and Schumacher both kept all the same tyres. Alonso on the other hand changed only the front tyres. This decision backfired and within a few laps his 20-second lead had completely gone. On Lap 29, Fisichella tried to pass his teammate Alonso down the back straight, but outbraked himself and ran wide. He didn’t give up though and successfully got past on the next lap. To make matters worse for Alonso, Schumacher also got past on Lap 31.
The Spaniard headed to the pits for dry tyres but it was a disastrous one when a wheel nut problem dropped him to fourth. Schumacher and Fisichella were among the last drivers to pit. The Italian got out ahead but on cold tyres he ran wide at the first corner, allowing Schumacher to take the lead.
Alonso was not ready to throw in the towel, he re-passed Fisichella and proceeded to close rapidly on Schumacher but it was just too late. The German had not scored a point in Shanghai prior to this race but he scored the maximum 10 in 2006, putting him equal on points with Alonso in the title race. It would prove to be the great German’s last victory.
