Chinese Grand Prix could deliver drama to Formula 1 and slow Verstappen’s victory march, with track ‘like driving on ice’
- Shanghai International Circuit has only recently been resurfaced and tyre supplier Pirelli says it wasn’t made fully aware of the changes
- Practise was limited to one session on Friday, and sprint qualifying through up some surprises
The Chinese Grand Prix could deliver some much-needed drama to Formula One, and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen cannot be pencilled in as the almost-certain winner on Sunday.
It’s also the season’s first weekend with a sprint race, which means Friday’s practise session was the only one. Lando Norris of McLaren went on to secure the pole for Saturday’s sprint race, running in a rainy qualifying session with drivers struggling to control their cars.
That included Verstappen, who said it had been very difficult to keep the car on track.
“The car never really switched on for me and it was like driving on ice, which is why I think we deserved where we finished in sprint,” the three-time world champion said.
Verstappen has won 22 of the past 26 Grand Prix and three of the first four this season. Only brake failure in Australia kept him from a 100 per cent start to the season, but the fifth race might prove a challenge even for the Dutchman.
“It’s got the probability of throwing up quite a few variables and, perhaps, some unexpected results,” Red Bull principal Christian Horner said Friday. “I think it’s going to be all action.”
The track is a slight unknown. This is the first F1 race in China in five years, scratched from the calendar by the coronavirus pandemic. The last was won in 2019 by Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
But the biggest unknown is the state of the racing surface, which has had a thin “seal coating” applied – described as liquid asphalt. Drivers have repeatedly said it looks like it’s been painted. And tyre supplier Pirelli said it was not fully aware of the changes heading into the race.
Though hard to draw any firm conclusion, Friday’s practise kicked up some unusual names at the top.
Lance Stroll of Aston Martin had the quickest time (1 minute, 36.302 seconds), followed by Oscar Piastri of McClaren. Verstappen and teammate Sergio Perez were third and fourth followed by two Haas drivers – Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
“Everything we expected in terms of uncertainty is happening and hopefully this will mean that we have an entertaining event here in China with some action and some opportunities,” Andrea Stella, McLaren team principal, said.
He said there was reduced tyre grip in the practise session, and tyres showed heavy wear from the unfamiliar surface.
Drivers spoke two weeks ago at the Japanese GP about their disquiet over the sprint in China. The track is located about 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of central Shanghai.
Horner accepted the concern but noted the Shanghai circuit was a known quantity, having hosted races since 2004.
“We have a lot of historic data from this circuit,” he said. “It’s not like turning up at a brand new venue and having to learn all over again.”
Norris’ qualifying lap in the third sprint session was 1 minute, 57.940 seconds. The times in the rain on Friday were about 20 seconds slower than when qualifying began under dry conditions.
Asked what the race conditions would be on Saturday, said he had “no clue”.
“It was getting wetter and wetter,” Norris said. “I was aquaplaning quite a bit.”
