
Your guide to the Chinese Grand Prix – Presented by OKX
"The different sessions do make it more interesting for everyone"

Lando and Oscar were still teenagers the last time Formula 1 raced in China. The British star was enjoying his rookie season, and the Australian ace in the middle of his title-winning Formula Renault Eurocup campaign, more than three years away from his F1 debut.
Fifteen years on from its first Grand Prix, China was hosting F1’s 1000th Championship race. One hundred and six later, we’re finally back in time to celebrate the Chinese Grand Prix’s 20th anniversary.
Lando will be racing on the circuit for just the second time in his career, while Oscar will be making his debut. The new generation of F1 cars, introduced ahead of the 2022 season, will also be completing their first competitive laps on the circuit. To top it all off, the new-look Sprint format will be making its debut this weekend, reducing the teams’ practice time and adding an additional element of the unknown.
That’s a lot to take in, so we’ve asked Lando, Oscar and Team Principal Andrea Stella to give us a hand preparing you for the race. As well as their thoughts, we’ve got a guide to the circuit, some tips on what to wear, and a brand-new F1 icebreaker.
RACE WEEKEND DETAILS




- FP1Fri 19 Apr03:3004:30
- Sprint QualiFri 19 Apr07:3008:30
- SprintSat 20 Apr03:0004:00
- QualifyingSat 20 Apr07:0008:20
- RaceSun 21 Apr07:0009:00

SECTORS
DRS
FIRST GP
2004
LAPS
56
CIRCUIT LENGTH
5.451
DISTANCE
305.066

“It’s been a while since we’ve raced in Shanghai, so I’m looking forward to returning. Our last race was slightly challenging, but we still managed to get some more points. We have taken some time to go over our learnings and reset for this weekend.
“It’ll be good to see what we can do with the Sprint weekend. The different sessions do make it more interesting for everyone. This might not be a circuit that suits us, but we’re prepared to do our absolute best once again.”

“I’m excited to race at the Chinese Grand Prix for the first time. The Shanghai International Circuit is a brand-new track for me. Since it’s the first Sprint weekend of the season, it will be very important to try and make the most out of that first practice session to familiarise myself with the track. I’ve been in the sim back at MTC, but of course, it’s different when you’re out on track.
“Hopefully, we can try and bank some more points for the team and have a positive weekend.”

“The Chinese Grand Prix is up next, as we return to Shanghai. This weekend is our first Sprint event for 2024. While this may offer more chances for points, it also adds the challenge of needing to maximise our efforts during the first practice session to gather as much data as possible ahead of the race, especially at a circuit we haven’t raced at for five years.
“Of all the circuits we’ve raced at so far this year, it would seem the Shanghai International Circuit may not be the best suited to our car, and we could be met with unpredictable weather. The lack of data for all the teams could present some opportunities and challenges and we will be working hard to make sure we’re well-prepared and, in a position to capitalise where opportunities appear.
“We know where we need to improve to be consistently fighting further up the grid, but as always, we will give it our all this weekend and aim to be in the fight once again.”

The Shanghai International Circuit's first corner is one of F1’s most famous
Track insights
Inspired by the Chinese character Shang, meaning “above” or “ascend”, the Shanghai International Circuit’s layout is dominated by long straights and tight, low-speed corners. These provide plenty of overtaking opportunities, most notably during and at the end of the 1.2km straight between Turns 13 and 14, one of F1’s longest stretches of full-throttle road.
The track's first corner is among F1’s most famous and has been sorely missed over the past few seasons. The seemingly never-ending 270-degree turn gives drivers a wide berth to begin with, before tightening as it wraps around into Turns 2 and 3, allowing for side-by-sides and making it an excellent overtaking opportunity.
The heavy braking zone at Turn 6 also provides a great chance to make a move ahead of two extremely high G-force corners, Turns 7 and 8. Another overtaking opportunity then presents itself during the heavy braking zone for Turn 11.
Weather conditions can also play a big role in the race's outcome. It’s difficult to know what to expect from one moment to the next: the forecast can change daily, and conditions can vary massively each day, making it very difficult to plan for.
And with the Sprint format returning this weekend, teams will have less time to get to grips with the circuit in the new generation of cars. Read our guide on what to expect from the Sprint here.

Much of the paddock for the Chinese GP is built on stilts over a lake
The season so far
Lando and Oscar continued their strong start to the season with another healthy points haul in the Japanese Grand Prix. Although Lando could not convert his third-place start into another podium, he still managed to add 10 points to his tally, finishing fifth, with Oscar a few spots behind in eighth. Their combined haul of 14 points keeps us third in the Constructors’ Championship, with a 35-point advantage over fourth.
F1 translations: G-force
F1 is full of specialist slang and complicated jargon that can stump even the most avid of fans, which is why we’ll be explaining common F1 terminology ahead of each grand prix this season. This week, it’s G-force…
G-force occurs not just in Formula 1, but in everyday life, every time something or someone changes direction or speed. Each G is the amount of force that gravity exerts on the person or object.
The more severe the change of speed or direction, the greater the G-force experienced, which is why in F1, drivers experience such extreme G-forces, with cars accelerating and braking heavily and undergoing dramatic changes of direction.
For example, at Turn 7 of the Shanghai International Circuit, drivers experience 4.3 lateral G-forces, equivalent to nearly five times their own body weight. For Lando and Oscar, that is roughly 292.4kg.
F1 icebreaker
Stuck for conversation with your F1-loving friends? Spark up a discussion with our F1 icebreaker…
The Shanghai International Circuit is among the biggest in Formula 1 and has a unique layout, with many of the facilities built on stilts over a lake. The paddock was designed to pay homage to the country’s rich heritage and resembles Shanghai’s famous and historic Yu Garden, which was built in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty.
The fit: Sprinting into spring
Is there any better time of year than spring? The cold is lifting, the sun is shining, the trees and flowers are blossoming, and most importantly, the F1 calendar is kicking into full gear. The only problem is it can be a little tricky to know what to wear…
Thankfully, our Core Essentials collection solves that conundrum. A crisp white T-Shirt for the warmer afternoons, a classic papaya-coloured hoodie for the chilly evenings and a Seasonal New Era Copen Blue trucker hat to keep the sun out of your eyes.
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