As spectacular as the opening race in Melbourne was, the Grand Prix of China on Sunday at 6:00 UTC offers every reason to settle in with a croissant, coffee, or any form of breakfast and enjoy. The ingredients for this? A revenge of the rookies, a duel at McLaren, and much more.
To cut to the chase: don’t expect too much from Max Verstappen. Yes, we do, and you probably do too, because Verstappen is always capable of extraordinary feats. However, the reigning world champion is already tempering expectations.
Piastri vs. Norris
So, we turn our attention to the other top teams: Lewis Hamilton has already won the sprint race, so his weekend at Ferrari can’t be spoiled. Count on Charles Leclerc wanting to steal the show on Sunday, and he is perfectly capable of doing so. But even more interesting: the duel at McLaren. It’s certainly not Lando Norris’s weekend; can the Australian Oscar Piastri outshine his teammate in Shanghai and accomplish what he couldn’t in his home country last time? It would be a sweet revenge for Piastri.
Rookies’ Revenge
Speaking of revenge: rookies Isack Hadjar, Jack Doohan, and Gabriel Bortoleto all failed to finish the race. They are eager to rectify this. ‘Rookies’ Revenge’, perhaps? It may sound like a good or bad movie title, but in reality, it could provide a great spectacle. There are also other young drivers like Liam Lawson and Oliver Bearman who aim to leave China with a solid result. How realistic this is remains to be seen. Kimi Antonelli performed well in Melbourne in the Mercedes (fourth place) and again stands a good chance of achieving a strong result.
Weather and Tyres
Sunny, dry; there’s not a cloud in the sky in Shanghai – figuratively speaking. The mercury is even expected to rise to 28 degrees, according to the official FIA weather report. This will undoubtedly affect the tyres, which are already under strain due to the new asphalt in China. With high track temperatures, even more will be demanded of the tyres, which will undoubtedly affect the course of the race.
Temperatures during the race:
And furthermore…
…the race consists of 56 laps
…the circuit is 5451 meters long
…the first Chinese GP was in 2004
…the chance of a safety car is 75 percent
…there were 102 overtaking maneuvers during last year’s race
