If the 14-week break between Formula 1 races dragged, the next 23 rounds will fly by. The F1 season is back in full swing, and we couldn’t be more excited.

After an exhilarating opening weekend in Australia, we head from one modern-classic to another, as we arrive in China for Round 2. Since hosting its first round in 2004, the Shanghai International Circuit has become one of the calendar’s most beloved tracks. It’s an overtake-friendly, old-school style circuit with a stunning backdrop, nestled just outside of a city brimming with history. And what’s better, this weekend we get double the racing, with the return of the Sprint format.

To get you in the mood for the weekend’s action, we’ve compiled a guide featuring the thoughts of the drivers and Team Principal Andrea Stella, the reasons why we love the circuit and what its main challenges are.  

“It’s great to go into the second race of the season as a race winner. Shanghai is up next and the first Sprint weekend of the season.

“We started the season really well, so now we need to put our heads down and keep learning to get consistent results. It’s a long season ahead and I’m excited to see what we can do.  The support from the fans in China was great last year, so I’m excited to race in front of them all again. Let’s go!”

“I can’t wait to get back racing straight away this weekend. I had a very encouraging week in Melbourne and it was almost a special result. The speed was really promising and it fills me with a lot of confidence moving forward. 

“It’s a Sprint weekend too so more opportunities to score points. I’m looking forward to attacking the weekend.”

“Following a victory in the first race of the season, we now immediately shift focus to the Chinese Grand Prix. As the first Sprint event of 2025, we know it offers more opportunity to score points, but also provides the challenge of trying to maximise our learnings in the new car with reduced practice time.

“The team have built a quick car, which has given us a competitive start to the season. Both Lando and Oscar performed excellently in Melbourne, but we must remain grounded and continue to learn as we haven’t seen everything our competitors have to offer. We’ll give it our all once again.”

Why we love the Chinese Grand Prix

The Shanghai International Circuit paddock is arguably the most iconic on the calendar. To begin with, it’s absolute huge – it can take 10 minute to walk from one team's hospitality unit to another, 20 if you take a wrong turn - but it’s the eye-catching design that stands out as its most impressive feature.

The paddock design was based on Shanghai’s historic Yu Garden, which is located in Shanghai’s Old City, near the City God Temple, and dates back to the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century. To accomplish this, the facilities are built on top of stilts and connected by paths and bridges over a lake.

It isn’t only the paddock design that provides a wow factor… Shanghai is a stunning city in which to go racing - featuring famous landmarks such as the Shanghai Tower, the water town of Zhujiajiao, and the aformentioned Yu Gardens, and a beautiful backdrop, with its famous skyline visible from the circuit.

What are the challenges?  

The Shanghai International Circuit is full of overtaking opportunities that test a driver’s ability to pull off moves and defend their positions.

The most famous section of the circuit is the first corner - ranked among the most exciting on the calendar - a massive 270-degree turn that decreases in radius. Cars can go side-by-side heading into it but then need to settle into a position when it tightens.

If you can’t make a move stick coming out of Turn 1, there are plenty of other chances further down the road. Lunges are possible for those who are late on the brakes going into Turn 6, ahead of a wide high-speed section of track between Turns 7 and 9.

There’s another opportunity going into a heavy braking zone at Turn 11, but the best chance comes at the end of a 1.2km stretch of road going into Turns 13 and 14, where drivers can gain a slipstream before battling into the corners.

The season so far

For the first time since Jenson Button’s win in Australia 13 years ago, McLaren won the opening round of a Formula 1 season. Lando’s Round 1 victory capped off a strong first weekend of the year, with the British driver converting his Pole position.

But it was far from a simple lights-to-flag finish. Lando had to fight from his win, initially by holding off Oscar and later on Max Verstappen, who emerged in second following unfortunate spins for both Lando and Oscar in difficult wet conditions. Lando recovered to recapture first after a pit stop, but Oscar fell down the pecking order, fighting back up to ninth from a lap down.  

The fit

After the excitement of Oscar’s home race, and with the season back in full swing, it’s time to pack your wardrobe full of the basics you’ll need for the year ahead. Your first stop? 2025 Teamwear.

We’d recommend starting off with an eye-catching base layer. Our T-shirts are ideal for everyday wear, and you can even personalise them with your name. Or if you prefer a smart-casual look, then why not opt for a polo? Both come in either phantom/papaya or papaya/phantom, depending on how bright a look you’re after.

You can then finish off the fit with one of our New Era team caps, available in a range of styles, including 59FIFTY, 9FIFTY and 9SEVENTY. We’d recommend pairing it with black denim jeans for a simple, but stylish outfit.