The Formula One Chinese Grand Prix has been cancelled for the fourth year in a row due to coronavirus prevention measures implemented by China. Before this decision, it had already been decided that there will be no replacement race instead, creating an extra four-week gap between two races on the already full 23 round calendar.
For 15 years, from 2004 until 2019, the F1 race at the Shanghai International Circuit provided us with tons of amazing racing memories.
Racing Rivals Showdown
Fernando Alonso (Renault), Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) and Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault) are pictured here in this photo by Glenn Dunbar / F1Flow Images. Before Lewis Hamilton and his team Mercedes were so successful, nobody thought Michael Schumacher’s 91 victories record would ever be broken. And the last of these wins was at the 2006 Chinese Grand Prix.
Michael Schumacher won the race for Ferrari which became his final victory. At that time, he and Fernando Alonso were tied in points with just two races left in the competition. Unfortunately, Alonso was able to take home the title before Schumacher retired from racing for the first time.
Lewis Hamilton’s Shanghai Race Disaster
Lewis Hamilton is a racing driver from McLaren MP4-22 team and he’s been making quite the impression in Formula 1. Back when Michael Schumacher retired, Lewis took over and wowed everyone with his skills. He started off Shanghai race with an impressive 12 point lead ahead of Alonso, which meant that whoever won would be getting 10 points max.
In a rain race full of chaos, Hamilton had trouble when he stayed out with worn-out tyres in the hopes that it would start raining again. Eventually, he gave up and went off the road while turning into the pit entry slow and got stuck in the gravel trap. He was really sad because he missed his chance to win the title in this season finale, which made what happened at Shanghai very costly for him.
Red Bull’s Incredible Road to Victory
Sebastian Vettel, with Red Bull Racing was pictured at the Sutton images 14 years ago. That is when Red Bull first won a race at the 2009 Chinese Grand Prix. This season, in 2023, it looks like Red Bull will win most of the races.
The Brawn GP team had an awesome start with Jenson Button winning the first two races, thanks to their special double diffuser. But when the third race of the season was held in rainy Shanghai, it gave other teams a chance to take back the victory from Brawn GP.
Vettel had started on pole ahead of Alonso and Webber, and when the race began he showed no mercy in the heavy rain. He won Red Bull’s first ever race, with his teammate finishing 11 seconds behind him, and Button (from another team) an extra 44 seconds back. Although Brawn prevented them from winning the championship that year, their success was a great sign for what was going to come later. Red Bull went on to be incredibly dominant from 2010 until 2013, winning four consecutive championships!
Sébastien Buemi from Scuderia Toro Rosso had a crash in the first practice session, and it has been captured through a photo taken by Sutton Images.
Sebastien Buemi’s Unlucky Race at Shanghai Circuit Results in Wheels Coming Off!
The Shanghai circuit has a really long straight road, which was the longest stretch of straight driving that Formula One cars ever raced on! Unfortunately in 2010, Sebastien Buemi didn’t have very much luck because his car’s front suspension failed when he tried to break while racing. This caused both of his front wheels to come off in a very eye-catching way.
The Swiss driver was lucky because his car stayed on the track instead of crashing into the barriers. Even though Sebastien Buemi, who was driving the car, was doing everything he could to steer it, there was no steering wheel!
Rosberg Wins His First Grand Prix Race After 111 Attempts For Mercedes On His Home Turf!
At a race, Jenson Button came in second place for McLaren, and Nico Rosberg won in his Mercedes car. Norbert Haug, a Mercedes Sporting Director was also there and Lewis Hamilton got third place with McLaren. This picture by Sutton Images shows the moment.
Before this happened, Mercedes had to do some rebuilding because they wanted to start using hybrid engines in 2014. Ross Brawn led this effort at the time.
Mercedes finally had a win as a works team since 1955 when Nico Rosberg won his first Grand Prix race on his 111th attempt. His win was even more special as he was starting from pole, which was also the first time a German and Mercedes had achieved it. Meanwhile Michael Schumacher, Rosberg’s teammate, managed to get on the grid after Hamilton received an penalty.
When Schumacher retired, it was a close race between Rosberg and Button who drives for McLaren. Since Button’s car could do things faster, he had a three-stop pit strategy while Rosberg only made two stops. That gave him an edge until Button got delayed in his pitstop which allowed Rosberg to take the checkered flag at the end of the race.
Rosberg wins with Ferrari and Red Bull Racing on the Podium!
At the 2016 race, Nico Rosberg won first place with his Mercedes-AMG F1 Team car. In second was Sebastian Vettel in his Ferrari while Daniil Kvyat from Red Bull Racing came in third. Daniil had made a daring pass at the beginning of the race which forced Sebastian to bump into his teammate Kimi Raikkonen’s car.
There was an amazing moment in the cooldown room after Nico Rosberg won the race, and Sebastian Vettel from Germany and Daniil Kvyat from Russia shared the podium. Vettel even called Kvyat a “torpedo”! This happened because Daniel Ricciardo, who had been winning up until that point, got a puncture and had to stop. So then, it was just him, Rosberg and Kvyat left on the podium!
Hamilton started at the back of the race and ended in seventh place, which helped Rosberg get closer to winning the championship. This was a tough fight between Hamilton and Rosberg.
