Formula 1 is set to make its long-awaited return to the largest automotive market in the world this weekend, ending a five-year absence. The Chinese Grand Prix is back on the F1 calendar after being on hold due to the country’s COVID-19 policies. This means that the Shanghai circuit will once again be the stage for the ground-effect era cars, presenting a challenge for the majority of teams, especially in terms of tire degradation. However, the return of the Chinese GP has been seen as a positive step towards reducing F1’s global impact.
The significance of racing in China cannot be overstated. As the country with the largest automotive market and the second-largest economy, Formula 1 sees this as a crucial opportunity to boost its popularity. Toto Wolff, team principal, expressed his enthusiasm for returning to the Shanghai circuit, where his team previously emerged victorious. He believes that this race weekend will be a fantastic event for both the teams and the fans.
The Chinese GP will also mark the debut of the new sprint race format, which adds an extra layer of excitement to the event. With only one practice session to fine-tune their cars, the teams will face a unique set of challenges. Wolff acknowledged that the weekend will be interesting and filled with unknown situations at the Shanghai circuit.
While the second parc ferme implemented will improve the rhythm of the Chinese weekend, Wolff admitted that the limited practice time will put pressure on the teams to quickly find the right setup. Despite these difficulties, the entire race weekend promises to be thrilling for the fans. All eyes will be on the local hero as he competes in China for the first time, and Mercedes will be determined to bounce back from a series of disappointing races and secure valuable points.