The Shanghai International Circuit is set to host the Chinese Grand Prix once again, and it is a track that’s seen plenty of controversial moments and nail-biting races over the years
The Chinese Grand Prix is upon us once again and has been a mainstay in Formula 1 for nearly two decades, despite a brief hiatus from 2020 to 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The first race took place in 2004, with Ferrari legend Rubens Barrichello taking the win.
Since then, Lewis Hamilton has shown a particular fondness for the event, securing a record six wins at the Shanghai International Circuit – four more than any other driver. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed victory last time, marking the first race after its three-year break.
The track, known for its thrilling Turn 1 and 2, has also seen its fair share of controversial and memorable moments during its time on the F1 calendar. Mirror Sport takes a look back at some of the most notable incidents at the Chinese Grand Prix, including British icon Hamilton’s disappointment, a VCARB star’s outburst and the race ending one lap too soon.
Lewis Hamilton’s title hopes dashed
It’s rare for an F1 rookie to be leading the pack with just one race left, but in 2007, record-breaking newcomer Hamilton did just that. He arrived in Shanghai with a comfortable 12-point lead over McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso and was 17 points ahead of Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen.
The British driver took to the penultimate race of the season like a pro, despite the challenging wet conditions. With just one race left and the Drivers’ Championship within his grasp, he led until lap 29.
However, rival Raikkonen was hot on his heels, and as lap 30 came to an end, Hamilton’s lead was stolen and he was called into the pit. A crucial error then occurred. The pit lane hadn’t dried as quickly as the track, and with worn tyres, Hamilton failed to make the left turn into the pits and skidded into the gravel.
His race was over, and ultimately, so were his championship hopes. The season’s final race in Brazil saw Hamilton, Alonso, and Raikkonen separated by a mere seven points. Ferrari’s ace emerged victorious, snatching away the McLaren duo’s championship dreams, finishing on 110 points while a disheartened Hamilton ended on 109. All the Brit needed was to finish ninth in China to secure an impressive debut title.
Daniel Ricciardo’s tirade
Another driver who had a rough time in Shanghai was former VCARB star Daniel Ricciardo. In April 2024, the Australian’s race ended prematurely after an incident following a safety car restart.
The Turn 14 hairpin saw Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll collide with the back of Ricciardo as both slowed for the corner. While Stroll received a 10-second penalty for this and finished the race in 15th place, Ricciardo was forced to retire and had plenty to say about his rival post-race.
“I slowly started to calm down, and then I was told what Lance thinks of the incident. Apparently, I’m an idiot, and it was my fault, so that made my blood boil because it’s clear as day, and it’s also behind a safety car,” he exclaimed. “The only thing you’ve got to do is watch the car in front. We can’t predict what the leader is going to do. So I’m doing my best not to say what I want to say, but f*** that guy – and I’m being nice still.”
Stroll, however, shirked blame, conceding: “I don’t think it was him. Everyone just slammed on the brakes, and he was the guy in front of me. So, I don’t think he slammed on the brakes. It was a concertina effect. I got a penalty because of the end result that I hit Ricciardo, but it’s not like everything was normal and I just slammed into the back of him.”
Race stopped one lap early
The 2014 Chinese Grand Prix was another event tinged with controversy, though fortunately, this time without severe repercussions. During the early stages of The Silver War, Mercedes team-mates Hamilton and Nico Rosberg found themselves competing in Shanghai, each slowly realising that their main competition for the Drivers’ Championship was one another.
In a turn of events during the fourth race of the season, Mercedes duo Rosberg and Hamilton left the competition in their dust, but it was the Stevenage-born sensation who virtually sealed the race an astounding 18 seconds clear when the flag mistakenly came down a lap early.
“I thought I was starting my last lap, and I glanced up and saw something waving. I realised it was the chequered flag,” Hamilton confessed. “I lifted [the power] and lost about a second and a half, but the team said: ‘No, no. Keep going’.”
There was a mix-up on track as one official prematurely waved the chequered flag, throwing a potential wrench in the works. Thankfully for the organisers, the final standings weren’t impacted, although Hamilton shared his relief at having his team’s guidance via radio to continue despite the error.
“If the radio had failed or something, and I had slowed down, and Nico came past, that would really have sucked,” he added. “Thank God, it didn’t. It was very, very strange. I was thinking: ‘Am I seeing things?’ But it was good to do another lap.”
