Shanghai_International_Circuit

Shanghai International Circuit

Shanghai International Circuit

Motorsport race track in China

The Shanghai International Circuit (simplified Chinese: 上海国际赛车场; traditional Chinese: 上海國際賽車場; pinyin: Shànghǎi Guójì Sàichēchǎng), also called the Shanghai Audi International Circuit (simplified Chinese: 上海奥迪国际赛车场; traditional Chinese: 上海奧迪國際賽車場; pinyin: Shànghǎi Àodí Guójì Sàichēchǎng) for sponsorship purposes, is a motorsport race track, situated in the Jiading District, Shanghai, China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Chinese Grand Prix which was hosted from 2004 to 2019, and is scheduled to be hosted in 2024.

Quick Facts Location, Time zone ...

History

Shanghai International Circuit was conceived by the Shanghai authorities as a way to showcase the city to the world. A 5.3 sq km site was chosen in the Jiading District in the north west of the city, close to major car parts manufacturing facilities and a budget of 2.6 billion yuan ($450 million) raised through a government-funded joint-venture company, the Shanghai Jiushi Group.

Herman Tilke was chosen to design the track and associated buildings, and between April and May 2003, engineers visited the site to draw up their plans. The site was actually a swampland, previously used as rice paddy fields, and extensive groundworks had to be completed to construct the circuit. For 18 months some 3,000 workers were on site daily to complete the facility – a remarkable feat of both engineering and logistics.

When it opened, visitors found a vast complex, dominated by the main grandstand and pit complex, which featured wing-like viewing platforms crossing the circuit at either end. This can hold 30,000 spectators alone, and others around the circuit take the total capacity to 200,000. Paddock facilities were also unique – each of the F1 teams had its own building, arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yu Garden in Shanghai.[1]

The Shanghai International Circuit is the first in China to be purpose-built for Formula One and it hosts FIA Formula One World Championship Chinese Grand Prix every year since 2004.[2] The circuit also holds a number of global high-profile series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and the Blancpain GT Series Asia.

In the past, the circuit has hosted the MotoGP world championship, and a one-off V8 Supercars China Round of the Australian-based V8 Supercar championship in 2005, and also the final round of the A1 Grand Prix in 2006/2007.

In 2011, the Shanghai International Circuit signed a sponsorship deal with Audi and was subsequently named the Shanghai Audi International Circuit and the SAIC International Circuit following a deal with SAIC Motor.

Layout

Satellite image of the circuit, as it appeared in April 2018

The track layout was inspired from the Chinese character shang (上), the first character in the name of the city Shanghai , meaning "above" or "ascend".[3]

There’s a unique start to the lap as the drivers fly into the ever-tightening Turns 1 and 2, before they dart left through 3 and 4. The super-high g force Turns 7 and 8 are loved by the drivers, while the circuit also features one of the longest straights on the calendar, the 1.2 km (0.7 mi) stretch that separates turns 13 and 14.[4]

A lap in a Formula One car

The first two bends make a 185 km/h (115 mph) right-hand curve which leads immediately into turns 3 and 4 taken at 105 km/h (65 mph). One and two are far more difficult – a lift on entry followed by various taps of the throttle and brakes are needed so the car maintains balance throughout. It also becomes blind towards the middle of the corner.[5] Three and four are less complicated, with three being a simple hairpin, but a good exit is needed from four to gain speed down the following straight and through turn 5. The complex of turns 1–4 makes up the first of two "snails" on the circuit, the other being turns 11–13.[6] Turn 6 is a second gear, right-handed hairpin with plentiful run-off. Turns 7 and 8 make up a high speed chicane – the left-right complex sees a constant G-force of 3[5] and a minimum speed of about 160 km/h (99 mph). Turns 9 and 10 immediately follow – two slow left-handers which require a good exit to gain speed down the next straight. Turns 11 and 12 effectively make up a slow left-right chicane where the use of kerbs are important but traction is low. Turn 13 is a very long right-hander which becomes less and less tight, and a very good exit is important as DRS is available down the following straight. At 1.170 km (0.727 mi), it is the equivalent to 11 football pitches laid end to end, or the same length as three and a half of the world's biggest aircraft carriers[7] Turn 14 is a hairpin at the end of the straight – the second gear corner is a prime overtaking spot as DRS is available in the run up to the corner. Turn 16 is the last corner – a fourth-gear[5] left-hander which requires a quick tap on the brakes – braking early can be more effective as you can then carry more speed through the corner and then down the pit straight.

Events

Current
Former

Records

The total length of the circuit is 5.451 km (3.387 mi), which is about average for a Formula One circuit. Michael Schumacher's race lap record of 1:32.238 has stood since 2004. In Q3 of 2018 Chinese Grand Prix, Sebastian Vettel qualified on pole position with a time of 1:31.095, a new track record.[8] As of April 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Shanghai International Circuit are listed as:[9][10]

More information Category, Record ...
  • Exterior of main grandstand
  • Main grandstand
  • View from the main grandstand
  • Covered grandstand H & K
  • Grandstand H & K
  • Pit
  • West Long Circuit (2004–present)

References

  1. [1]
    "Shanghai International Circuit". RacingCircuits.info. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  2. [2]
    "China". Formula1.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  3. [3]
    "Chinese Grand Prix Preview". Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. April 13, 2009. Archived from the original on April 17, 2009. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
  4. [4]
    "China". Formula1.com. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  5. [5]
    "Shanghai International Circuit guide". F1 Fanatic. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  6. [6]
    RedBull.com (May 4, 2012). "Circuit Guide: Shanghai International Circuit". Red Bull Motorsports. Retrieved October 31, 2015.
  7. [7]
    "Straight-line power – the engine in Shanghai". Formula1.com. Retrieved December 21, 2012.
  8. [8]
    Takle, Abhishek (April 14, 2018). "Vettel snatches pole position in Ferrari one-two". Retrieved September 28, 2021.
  9. [9]
    "Shanghai Fastest Lap Comparison". Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
  10. [10]
    Natsoft Race Results
  11. [11]
    "2017 FIA WEC 6 Hours of Shanghai Race Final Classification by Class" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. November 5, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  12. [12]
    "2017 FRD LMP3 Series - Round 3 Result of FRD LMP3 - Main Race" (PDF). August 27, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  13. [13]
    "2019 FIA WEC 4 Hours of Shanghai Race Final Classification" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. February 13, 2020. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  14. [14]
    "2019 Asian Formula 3 Shanghai 2 (Race 1)". September 27, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  15. [15]
    "2023 Shanghai 8 Hours Statistics" (PDF). October 4, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  16. [16]
    "China Endurance Series 2018 - Round 1 Asian Formula Renault Official Classification of Race 1" (PDF). April 29, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  17. [17]
    "Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia Rounds 9&10 Shanghai International Circuit 21-23 September 2018 >> Race 2 - Sector Analysis" (PDF). September 23, 2018. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  18. [18]
    "Porsche Carrera Cup Asia roars off the line alongside the historic 1000th Formula 1 Grand Prix" (PDF). April 15, 2019. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  19. [19]
    "Race 2 winner is Fukang Jiang! #FIAF4CHINA". April 21, 2024. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
  20. [20]
    "Formula BMW 2005 - Round 14 - Shanghai - Race". October 16, 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  21. [21]
    "TCR CN 2023 » Shanghai International Circuit GP Round 2 Results". May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  22. [22]
    "2011 Shanghai AFR Series Race #2 Official Result". October 23, 2011. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  23. [23]
    "2005 Buick V8 Supercars China Round #2". June 12, 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  24. [24]
    "TCR CN 2017 » Shanghai International Circuit Round 1 Results". August 5, 2017. Retrieved April 24, 2022.
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