2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix Preview: F1 Returns after 5 Years

The 2024 Chinese Grand Prix will be held this weekend at the Shanghai International Circuit.

The race, which has been held every year for the past five years, has been rescheduled and then canceled due to travel restrictions caused by a pandemic, and this year's race, the fifth race of the 2024 season, will be the first time Chinese driver Zhou Guan Yu, who is in his third year in F1, will compete in his home country. This year's race will be the first time Chinese driver Zhou Guangyu, who is in his third year in F1, will compete in his home country.

The Shanghai International Circuit is 3.4 miles long with 16 corners. With about 80% of each lap spent cornering, tires struggle to last and strategy can make a big difference. Pirelli has nominated its mid-range C2, C3, and C4 compounds.

One of the challenges is that the circuit is built on reclaimed swamp land. As a result, there is an increased risk of movement of the ground beneath the surface, so steps must be taken to cut and reseal areas of concern on the track to reduce bumpiness.

This year's Chinese GP will include the first sprint race of the season. The sprint race is a separate points race with its own qualifying session and will be held on Friday. The sprint race qualifying for the Chinese GP was a bit of a lottery due to heavy rain. McLaren's Lando Norris took pole position and Mercedes-Benz AMG's Lewis Hamilton occupied the front grid for the sprint race.

Both the sprint race and the regular qualifying for Sunday's main race will take place on Saturday. The current weather forecast calls for cloudy but dry conditions for the weekend. [Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen leads the 2024 drivers' championship with 77 points. Sergio Perez, also of Red Bull, is second with 64 points and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari is third with 59 points. In the constructors' championship, Red Bull leads with 141 points to Ferrari's 120 and McLaren's 69. The last winner in China was Mercedes' Hamilton.