2017 F1 Preview; Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai

Just two weeks after a great season opener in Melbourne where Sebastian Vettel challenged the Mercedes pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, we now head to the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai this weekend.

The Shanghai International Circuit is 5.45 kilometers long and features 16 corners, nine right-handers and seven left-handers. With a unique combination of slow spiraling corners, fast corners, hairpins, long and short straights put high demands on the braking systems in the cars, making Shanghai one of the most challenging circuits of the F1 season. In common with many other Formula 1 circuits, it was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke.

Shanghai International Circuit took just 18 months to complete. The load on the soil would be too heavy to take, therefore 40,000 stone pillars were inserted into the marshland to give a stable base for the track. The venue was officially opened on 6 June 2004 and can hold around 200,000 spectators.

Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello won the Chinese Grand Prix in its debut year. At a cost of $240 million, the Shanghai Circuit was the most expensive Formula One racetrack to build. Shanghai Circuit also is a place for promotions, car displays, exhibitions, press conferences, and massive activities.

With the Shanghai circuit imposing quite unique and quite high demands on the tyres, this has led to close racing as well as plenty of overtaking in the past. But the weather can also never be predicted, ranging from bright sunshine to heavy rain: sometimes in the same weekend. This will have a significant effect on tyre behaviour and strategy, as less degradation for this season theoretically means fewer pit stops. Last year, the winner stopped twice during the 56-lap race, although most drivers did a three-stopper.

The track always feels 'green' and slippery during the first sessions of the weekend There's a roughly equal split of corners and straights on the track, inaugurated in 2004. The corners that demand most from tyres are Turn 1 (a long right-hander) and Turn 13. The Pirelli front-left tyre will be worked the hardest due to the long straight means tyres can cool down and subsequently provoke graining.

But the straight also provides chances to overtake, so teams can opt for the quickest strategy. Pirelli will also supply wet weather tyres in a different compound with better performance on low severity tracks and smooth asphalt.

Here's the facts and figures going into this weekend-

Facts and Figures

• Shanghai has hosted the Grand Prix since 2004, even though China had a provisional track and the Grand Prix added to the calendar in 1999.
• Lewis Hamilton is the most successful driver to win the Grand Prix with three wins
• Ferrari and Mercedes are the most successful constructors to win the Grand Prix with four wins each
• Race distance: 305.06km (189.56 miles)
• Number of turns:16
• Top speed: 317kph
• Lap record: Michael Schumacher- Ferrari (2004)- 1.32.238

Last Five Winners from the Chinese Grand Prix:-
• 2012-Nico Rosberg
• 2013- Fernando Alonso
• 2014- Lewis Hamilton
• 2015- Lewis Hamilton
• 2016-Nico Rosberg

Sky Sports F1 are showing uninterrupted coverage of every Practice session, Qualifying and race for the Grand Prix (and every race of the season) and Channel Four also are showing coverage, details for both are below:-

•Sky Sports F1:- Friday (Practice 1 and 2) 2.45am and 6.45am [Replays throughout Friday], Saturday (Practice 3 and Qualifying) 4.45am and 7am [Replays throughout Saturday], Sunday (Race) 5.30am

• Channel Four :- Saturday (Qualifying highlights) 1.00pm, Sunday (Race Highlights) 2.30pm

Driving For Pleasure will be covering the Chinese GP weekend with Practice, Qualifying and Race reports as well as the latest news.

Sarah Jones- @jonesy_laaa