Adrian Newey’s cars have won 25 drivers’ and constructors’ championships for Williams, McLaren and Red Bull.
Srettha Thavisin’s administration invited F1 executives to Bangkok to survey the race routes, and told them the country had all it took to hold the event.
World champion finishes 13.7 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez third.
World champion overcomes power issues at Chinese Grand Prix to ease past Lewis Hamilton and Sergio Perez in morning’s short race, then grabs first place ahead of Perez and Alonso.
Shanghai International Circuit has only recently been resurfaced and world champion Max Verstappen says it is ‘like driving on ice’.
British driver risked it all in final session to claim fastest time ahead of Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Max Verstappen and China’s Zhou Guanyu (10th).
The first local driver to race at the Chinese Grand Prix is unlikely to be joined soon by any compatriots, a fact he attributes to China’s short history in the sport.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll tops only practice session, while China’s Zhou Guanyu gives local fans something to cheer about, posting 11th fastest time on Friday.
Another win on Sunday would mean the Dutchman has won half of all F1 races held since the grand prix was last held in Shanghai, which will host the first sprint of the season.
Having made his way in motorsport largely on his own, Zhou relishes a chance to ‘pave the path for future generations’ and ‘start a new chapter of Chinese motorsport together with the crowd’.
Tickets for the action-packed weekend – which begins with Friday morning practice, includes a sprint race on Saturday and ends with the grand prix on Sunday – sold out within minutes of going on sale in January.
World champion Max Verstappen hot favourite on circuit where he won by almost 20 seconds last year, but after his Melbourne miss, Ferrari are closing in.
Shanghai-born Zhou was five when he watched the first Chinese Grand Prix, and 20 years on, he hopes to finally make his first appearance there alongside childhood idol Fernando Alonso.
Carlos Sainz leads home Ferrari one-two, with teammate Charles Leclerc second, and Lando Norris third. Max Verstappen last just three pals before telling Red Bull engineers ‘I have smoke … fire, fire, brake, my brakes’.
Max Verstappen ‘very satisfied’ with third straight pole of the season, Carlos Sainz second for Ferrari. China’s Zhou Guanyu damages front wing during qualifying.
Zhou is one of 13 drivers on F1 grid who is out of contract at the end of the season, but Sauber are expected to seek another transition year in 2025 ahead of manufacturer joining in 2026.
World Champion has already won first two races of the year, and season is in danger of turning into one-team show again.
GM and the Andretti camp still seething over how dismissive F1 was of team’s ability to put a competitive car on the racetrack, say development continuing ‘at pace’.
Country’s only F1 driver says he wants to have strong season with plenty of his rivals on the market next year.
The seven-time F1 champion called the move ‘one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make’.
Officials raise concern over team’s competitiveness and says it ‘would not on its own add value’ to the circuit.