CHINA - Shanghai
Friday 15 April
First practice: 0255-0435, BBC Red Button/online
Second practice: 0655-0835, BBC Red Button/online
Saturday 16 April
Third practice: 0355-0505, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 0600-0830, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
Qualifying repeat: 1300-1430, BBC One
Sunday 17 April
Grand Prix live: 0700-1015, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
F1 forum: 1015-1115, BBC Red Button/online
Grand Prix repeat: 1400-16:00, BBC One
Highlights: 1900-2000 and 0230-0330, BBC Three
Standings:
Track:
Track Diagram
Track DRS
The FIA has confirmed drivers will not be allowed to use the Drag Reduction System along the full length of Shanghai’s straight during the race. Drivers will be allowed to deploy their DRS 902m before the turn 14 hairpin. The stretch between turns 13 and 14 is the longest on the calendar, measuring 1,170m. Here is an FIA diagram showing where drivers can deploy DRS
Circuit information
Lap data
Lap length 5.451km (3.387 miles)
Race laps 56
Race distance 305.066km (189.559 miles)
Lap record* 1’32.238 (212.75 kph) by Michael Schumacher, 2004
Fastest lap 1’32.238 (212.75 kph) by Michael Schumacher, 2004
Maximum speed (2010) 318 kph (197.596 mph) by Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
DRS zone (race) Part of longest straight
Car performance
Full throttle 62%
Power loss 4%
Tyre energy (1-3) 2
Brake energy (1-3) 3
Downforce level High
Gear changes per lap 55
Fuel use per lap 2.7kg
Strategy
Pit lane time loss 23 seconds
2011 prime tyre**: Hard (2010: Hard)
2011 option tyre**: Soft (2010: Soft)
preview quotes
China preview quotes - Virgin, Renault, Williams, HRT & more
With the Malaysian and Chinese Grands Prix falling on successive weekends, the teams barely have time to catch their breath as they make the move from Sepang to Shanghai. Another of the new generation of circuits, it presents drivers and engineers with some very technical challenges. And as in Kuala Lumpur, the weather can often play in important role in the race’s outcome…
Malaysia- Team Preview
Pirelli
Cosworth Not uploaded yet
Red Bull Not uploaded yet
McLaren
Ferrari Not uploaded yet
Mercedes
Renault
Williams
Force India
Sauber
Toro Rosso Not uploaded yet
Lotus
Hispania
Virgin
Classic F1
Classic F1 2011 - Sebastien Buemi
Sebastien Buemi, who has enjoyed a promising start to the new season with the Toro Rosso team, takes his turn in the hot seat in our new-look classic Formula 1 series.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1989
Watch highlights from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix as Alain Prost wins his third world championship after Ayrton Senna was disqualified after winning at Suzuka.
This one was at the chicane - Prost turned in on McLaren team-mate Senna when the Brazilian tried to overtake him and the two collided. The Frenchman was out of the race, but Senna rejoined and went on to win, before being controversially disqualified, handing the title to Prost.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1990
Ayrton Senna clinches the drivers' world title after he and championship rival Alain Prost spin off at the first corner in Suzuka.
Senna, after being beaten away from pole position by Prost's Ferrari, was determined the Frenchman would not make the corner and barged into the back of his car at 160mph. The incident took both drivers out of the race and left Senna as champion.
Classic F1 - Belgian Grand Prix 1998
Watch highlights from the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix as Michael Schumacher loses his cool with David Coulthard and Damon Hill wins for Jordan in the wet at Spa.
The race is actually infamous for two incidents - the 13-car pile-up at the start that Buemi is referring to and Michael Schumacher's retirement after he had run his Ferrari into the back of David Coulthard's McLaren in appalling visibility.
The Scot was trying to let Schumacher lap him but the German, who could not see very well in the spray, did not realise his rival had slowed down and made contact. Given he was in a title fight with Coulthard's team-mate Mika Hakkinen, Schumacher sensed a conspiracy and charged down the pit lane to remonstrate with Coulthard. The two men had to be physically separated.
The incident left Damon Hill in the lead ahead of Jordan team-mate Ralf Schumacher. After team boss Eddie Jordan instructed Schumacher not to try to race Hill, the two finished one-two for Jordan's first F1 win.
Classic F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix 2008
Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.
With Ferrari's Felipe Massa driving to a dominant victory, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton needed to finish fifth to win the title. But the race did not go well for the Briton, who started the last lap in sixth, having lost fifth place to Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel.
In the Ferrari pit, team personnel - including Massa's father - celebrated as their man crossed the line. But then came a dramatic late twist. With rain falling increasingly hard, Hamilton, who was on wet tyres, closed inexorably on the Toyota of Timo Glock, who was struggling on untreaded dry tyres. Hamilton eventually passed the German as they accelerated out of Juncao corner on to the start-finish straight for the final time, prompting delirium at McLaren and despair at Ferrari.
Classic F1 - Vettel wins 2009 Chinese Grand Prix
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins the rain-hit China Grand Prix, the team's first race victory, ahead of team-mate Mark Webber.
The 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, which Buemi has picked for two reasons. Firstly, it was Red Bull's first win, with Vettel leading home team-mate Mark Webber.
Secondly, Buemi, who had made his debut in Australia just two races previously, scored points for the second time in his short career. He had finished seventh on his debut in a race marked by very high attrition. In China, he drove superbly to finish eighth on merit, ahead of Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Giancarlo Fisichella.
We have chosen one race to highlight by embedding it in this blog - and we have opted for the 2009 Chinese race. Long highlights are below, with links to shorter highlights underneath. There are also links to long and short highlights of Jenson Button's brilliant victory in last year's Chinese Grand Prix. This year's Chinese race is Sunday, of course.
Technical Changes Malaysia
Weather Forecast
Practice 1 Fri 10:00
Practice 2 Fri 14:00
Practice 3 Sat 11:00
Qualifying Sat 14:00
Race Sun 15:00
News
Driver Chnages
Trulli and Kovalainen to sit out first practice
Lotus will run two reserve drivers in the first practice session at Shanghai.
Regular race drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli will be replaced for the first session by Liuz Razia and Davide Valsecchi.
Valsecchi also drove in the first practice session at Sepang. Razia has previously driven the car in pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya. The pair race in GP2 for Lotus’s sister team Air Asia.
Chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne said it would be important for the team that the two drivers complete as much running as possible:
“In China we will all be in slightly unknown territory with the tyres and the cooler temperatures will mean the most important goal for us will be to maximise our track time on Friday and Saturday morning, getting the cars set up properly for qualifying and bridging the gap to make it into Q2.”
The track and TV coverage starts
FIA Thursday press conference - China
Drivers - Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) and Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
Technical changes China
Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel obviously isn’t too keen to let go of his stranglehold on the timesheets and led during both practice sessions on Friday, with McLaren team mates Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button his closest challengers. The leading teams and their rivals reflect on their early progress in Shanghai…
FIA Friday press conference - China
Team personnel (technical) - Aldo Costa (Ferrari), James Key (Sauber), Paddy Lowe (McLaren), Naoki Takunaga (Renault) and Geoff Willis (HRT).
Practice 1
Practice One - Red Bull rampant in China
You had to look for the happy faces in the Shanghai paddock at the top of the Friday morning timesheets, and at the bottom. No question, Red Bull trounced their opposition in this opening free practice session, with Sebastian Vettel ending up a whopping 0.615s ahead of team mate Mark Webber, 1m 38.739s to 1m 39.354s.
Highlights - Chinese Grand Prix first practice
World champion Sebastian Vettel once again shows his dominance over the rest of the field by comfortably setting the fastest time in the first practice session in Shanghai.
Iplayer - The Chinese Grand Prix - Practice One
Practice 2
Practice Two - Vettel sets Shanghai standard
Sebastian Vettel continued to set the pace for Red Bull here in Shanghai on Friday afternoon, but instead of being two seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren the gap was only 0.166s, and Jenson Button was only 0.247s away.
F1 Highlights - Chinese Grand Prix second practice
Sebastian Vettel once again leads the way in the second practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Iplayer1 - The Chinese Grand Prix - Practice Two
Coverage of the second practice session from Shanghai, China.
Practice 3
Final practice - Vettel top as Webber hits trouble
Sebastian Vettel again led the times in Shanghai on Saturday morning, but as McLaren continued to breathe down the world champion’s neck his team mate met more trouble.
Qualifying
Qualifying - Vettel storms to Shanghai pole
Sebastian Vettel took yet another pole position for Red Bull in a disjointed but exciting qualifying session in Shanghai on Saturday afternoon.
Iplayer - The Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying
Jake Humphrey presents coverage of qualifying for Formula 1's Chinese Grand Prix, with commentary from Martin Brundle and David Coulthard.
Chinese GP qualifying - top three drivers
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel gives his reaction after securing pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
Sebastian Vettel's pole lap in China
Ride on board with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel as he sets the fastest time in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Mark Webber drops out of qualifying in China
Jake Humphrey and Bruno Senna analyse Mark Webber's fastest lap in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, which is not enough to put him through to the second session in Shanghai.
Race
Race - Hamilton takes sensational Shanghai win
Lewis Hamilton scored a fabulous victory for McLaren in a Chinese race of excellent drives, catching and passing Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel on the 52nd of the 56 laps as the reigning world champion's gamble on a two-stop strategy - and a 25-lap run on Pirelli's hard rubber - just failed to pay off.
Iplayer - 2011 - The Chinese Grand Prix
Jake Humphrey presents coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix from the Shanghai International Circuit, with commentary from Martin Brundle and David Coulthard.
Standings
Friday 15 April
First practice: 0255-0435, BBC Red Button/online
Second practice: 0655-0835, BBC Red Button/online
Saturday 16 April
Third practice: 0355-0505, BBC Red Button/BBC Radio 5 live sports extra/online
Qualifying: 0600-0830, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
Qualifying repeat: 1300-1430, BBC One
Sunday 17 April
Grand Prix live: 0700-1015, BBC One/BBC Radio 5 live/online
F1 forum: 1015-1115, BBC Red Button/online
Grand Prix repeat: 1400-16:00, BBC One
Highlights: 1900-2000 and 0230-0330, BBC Three
Standings:
Track:
Track Diagram
Track DRS
The FIA has confirmed drivers will not be allowed to use the Drag Reduction System along the full length of Shanghai’s straight during the race. Drivers will be allowed to deploy their DRS 902m before the turn 14 hairpin. The stretch between turns 13 and 14 is the longest on the calendar, measuring 1,170m. Here is an FIA diagram showing where drivers can deploy DRS
Circuit information
Lap data
Lap length 5.451km (3.387 miles)
Race laps 56
Race distance 305.066km (189.559 miles)
Lap record* 1’32.238 (212.75 kph) by Michael Schumacher, 2004
Fastest lap 1’32.238 (212.75 kph) by Michael Schumacher, 2004
Maximum speed (2010) 318 kph (197.596 mph) by Lewis Hamilton, McLaren
DRS zone (race) Part of longest straight
Car performance
Full throttle 62%
Power loss 4%
Tyre energy (1-3) 2
Brake energy (1-3) 3
Downforce level High
Gear changes per lap 55
Fuel use per lap 2.7kg
Strategy
Pit lane time loss 23 seconds
2011 prime tyre**: Hard (2010: Hard)
2011 option tyre**: Soft (2010: Soft)
preview quotes
China preview quotes - Virgin, Renault, Williams, HRT & more
With the Malaysian and Chinese Grands Prix falling on successive weekends, the teams barely have time to catch their breath as they make the move from Sepang to Shanghai. Another of the new generation of circuits, it presents drivers and engineers with some very technical challenges. And as in Kuala Lumpur, the weather can often play in important role in the race’s outcome…
Malaysia- Team Preview
Pirelli
Cosworth Not uploaded yet
Red Bull Not uploaded yet
McLaren
Ferrari Not uploaded yet
Mercedes
Renault
Williams
Force India
Sauber
Toro Rosso Not uploaded yet
Lotus
Hispania
Virgin
Classic F1
Classic F1 2011 - Sebastien Buemi
Sebastien Buemi, who has enjoyed a promising start to the new season with the Toro Rosso team, takes his turn in the hot seat in our new-look classic Formula 1 series.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1989
Watch highlights from the 1989 Japanese Grand Prix as Alain Prost wins his third world championship after Ayrton Senna was disqualified after winning at Suzuka.
This one was at the chicane - Prost turned in on McLaren team-mate Senna when the Brazilian tried to overtake him and the two collided. The Frenchman was out of the race, but Senna rejoined and went on to win, before being controversially disqualified, handing the title to Prost.
Classic F1 - Japanese Grand Prix 1990
Ayrton Senna clinches the drivers' world title after he and championship rival Alain Prost spin off at the first corner in Suzuka.
Senna, after being beaten away from pole position by Prost's Ferrari, was determined the Frenchman would not make the corner and barged into the back of his car at 160mph. The incident took both drivers out of the race and left Senna as champion.
Classic F1 - Belgian Grand Prix 1998
Watch highlights from the 1998 Belgian Grand Prix as Michael Schumacher loses his cool with David Coulthard and Damon Hill wins for Jordan in the wet at Spa.
The race is actually infamous for two incidents - the 13-car pile-up at the start that Buemi is referring to and Michael Schumacher's retirement after he had run his Ferrari into the back of David Coulthard's McLaren in appalling visibility.
The Scot was trying to let Schumacher lap him but the German, who could not see very well in the spray, did not realise his rival had slowed down and made contact. Given he was in a title fight with Coulthard's team-mate Mika Hakkinen, Schumacher sensed a conspiracy and charged down the pit lane to remonstrate with Coulthard. The two men had to be physically separated.
The incident left Damon Hill in the lead ahead of Jordan team-mate Ralf Schumacher. After team boss Eddie Jordan instructed Schumacher not to try to race Hill, the two finished one-two for Jordan's first F1 win.
Classic F1 - Brazilian Grand Prix 2008
Watch highlights from the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix as Felipe Massa wins but Lewis Hamilton is crowned champion after a dramatic final lap at Interlagos.
With Ferrari's Felipe Massa driving to a dominant victory, McLaren's Lewis Hamilton needed to finish fifth to win the title. But the race did not go well for the Briton, who started the last lap in sixth, having lost fifth place to Toro Rosso's Sebastian Vettel.
In the Ferrari pit, team personnel - including Massa's father - celebrated as their man crossed the line. But then came a dramatic late twist. With rain falling increasingly hard, Hamilton, who was on wet tyres, closed inexorably on the Toyota of Timo Glock, who was struggling on untreaded dry tyres. Hamilton eventually passed the German as they accelerated out of Juncao corner on to the start-finish straight for the final time, prompting delirium at McLaren and despair at Ferrari.
Classic F1 - Vettel wins 2009 Chinese Grand Prix
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel wins the rain-hit China Grand Prix, the team's first race victory, ahead of team-mate Mark Webber.
The 2009 Chinese Grand Prix, which Buemi has picked for two reasons. Firstly, it was Red Bull's first win, with Vettel leading home team-mate Mark Webber.
Secondly, Buemi, who had made his debut in Australia just two races previously, scored points for the second time in his short career. He had finished seventh on his debut in a race marked by very high attrition. In China, he drove superbly to finish eighth on merit, ahead of Fernando Alonso, Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica and Giancarlo Fisichella.
We have chosen one race to highlight by embedding it in this blog - and we have opted for the 2009 Chinese race. Long highlights are below, with links to shorter highlights underneath. There are also links to long and short highlights of Jenson Button's brilliant victory in last year's Chinese Grand Prix. This year's Chinese race is Sunday, of course.
Technical Changes Malaysia
Weather Forecast
Practice 1 Fri 10:00
Practice 2 Fri 14:00
Practice 3 Sat 11:00
Qualifying Sat 14:00
Race Sun 15:00
News
- Pirelli has enhanced F1, say teams
Leading team bosses have hailed the Pirelli tyres' contribution to the Formula 1 spectacle in the opening races of 2011 – saying the degrading rubber has added to the excitement of the sport. - Renault's Boullier becomes FOTA deputy
Renault team boss Eric Boullier has been selected to become the new vice-chairman of the Formula One Teams' Association (FOTA). - Red Bull chief backs Mark Webber to shine this season
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has backed Mark Webber to enjoy great success this season. - Vettel dismisses talk of dominance
Sebastian Vettel admits he is delighted with the strong start he has made to his world title defence, but says he won’t be lulled into thinking he will continue to dominate the 2011 championship. - Whitmarsh: McLaren ready to beat Red Bull
McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh is confident that the Malaysian Grand Prix proved his team are now all but a match for Red Bull, even though Sebastian Vettel still came away with victory. - Jenson Button keen to halt Sebastian Vettel charge
Jenson Button says Formula 1 fans want the dominance of Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel to be challenged and he believes McLaren can do just that. - Ferrari seek answers for correlation problems
Ferrari team chief Stefano Domenicali says the Italian team may need to change their scheduled development programme on the F150° Italia if they are unable to pinpoint why their wind tunnel results are currently not correlating with the car’s on-track performance. - Alonso buoyed by Ferrari's pace
Fernando Alonso says Ferrari will go to China much more confident about their chances even though today's Malaysian Grand Prix didn't bring the result they wanted. - Mercedes eye China improvement despite short GP turnaround
Mercedes are hoping they will still be able to make improvements to the pace of their underperforming W02 for this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix, despite the race meeting just starting days after the end of Sepang event. - Kobayashi glad 'risky' strategy paid off
Kamui Kobayashi was thrilled what he acknowledges was a “risky” two-stop strategy from his Sauber team allowed him to officially open the Swiss team’s points account for 2011.
Driver Chnages
Trulli and Kovalainen to sit out first practice
Lotus will run two reserve drivers in the first practice session at Shanghai.
Regular race drivers Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli will be replaced for the first session by Liuz Razia and Davide Valsecchi.
Valsecchi also drove in the first practice session at Sepang. Razia has previously driven the car in pre-season testing at the Circuit de Catalunya. The pair race in GP2 for Lotus’s sister team Air Asia.
Chief technical officer Mike Gascoyne said it would be important for the team that the two drivers complete as much running as possible:
“In China we will all be in slightly unknown territory with the tyres and the cooler temperatures will mean the most important goal for us will be to maximise our track time on Friday and Saturday morning, getting the cars set up properly for qualifying and bridging the gap to make it into Q2.”
The track and TV coverage starts
FIA Thursday press conference - China
Drivers - Rubens Barrichello (Williams), Lewis Hamilton (McLaren), Vitantonio Liuzzi (HRT), Michael Schumacher (Mercedes) and Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull)
Technical changes China
Friday practice - selected team and driver quotes
Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel obviously isn’t too keen to let go of his stranglehold on the timesheets and led during both practice sessions on Friday, with McLaren team mates Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button his closest challengers. The leading teams and their rivals reflect on their early progress in Shanghai…
FIA Friday press conference - China
Team personnel (technical) - Aldo Costa (Ferrari), James Key (Sauber), Paddy Lowe (McLaren), Naoki Takunaga (Renault) and Geoff Willis (HRT).
Practice 1
Practice One - Red Bull rampant in China
You had to look for the happy faces in the Shanghai paddock at the top of the Friday morning timesheets, and at the bottom. No question, Red Bull trounced their opposition in this opening free practice session, with Sebastian Vettel ending up a whopping 0.615s ahead of team mate Mark Webber, 1m 38.739s to 1m 39.354s.
Highlights - Chinese Grand Prix first practice
World champion Sebastian Vettel once again shows his dominance over the rest of the field by comfortably setting the fastest time in the first practice session in Shanghai.
Iplayer - The Chinese Grand Prix - Practice One
Practice 2
Practice Two - Vettel sets Shanghai standard
Sebastian Vettel continued to set the pace for Red Bull here in Shanghai on Friday afternoon, but instead of being two seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren the gap was only 0.166s, and Jenson Button was only 0.247s away.
F1 Highlights - Chinese Grand Prix second practice
Sebastian Vettel once again leads the way in the second practice session for the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai.
Iplayer1 - The Chinese Grand Prix - Practice Two
Coverage of the second practice session from Shanghai, China.
Practice 3
Final practice - Vettel top as Webber hits trouble
Sebastian Vettel again led the times in Shanghai on Saturday morning, but as McLaren continued to breathe down the world champion’s neck his team mate met more trouble.
Qualifying
Qualifying - Vettel storms to Shanghai pole
Sebastian Vettel took yet another pole position for Red Bull in a disjointed but exciting qualifying session in Shanghai on Saturday afternoon.
Iplayer - The Chinese Grand Prix - Qualifying
Jake Humphrey presents coverage of qualifying for Formula 1's Chinese Grand Prix, with commentary from Martin Brundle and David Coulthard.
Chinese GP qualifying - top three drivers
Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel gives his reaction after securing pole position for the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of McLaren drivers Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
Sebastian Vettel's pole lap in China
Ride on board with Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel as he sets the fastest time in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix.
Red Bull's Mark Webber drops out of qualifying in China
Jake Humphrey and Bruno Senna analyse Mark Webber's fastest lap in qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, which is not enough to put him through to the second session in Shanghai.
Race
Race - Hamilton takes sensational Shanghai win
Lewis Hamilton scored a fabulous victory for McLaren in a Chinese race of excellent drives, catching and passing Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel on the 52nd of the 56 laps as the reigning world champion's gamble on a two-stop strategy - and a 25-lap run on Pirelli's hard rubber - just failed to pay off.
Iplayer - 2011 - The Chinese Grand Prix
Jake Humphrey presents coverage of the Chinese Grand Prix from the Shanghai International Circuit, with commentary from Martin Brundle and David Coulthard.
Standings
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