Mika Hakkinen Preview - 2024 Chinese Grand Prix

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Fernando Alonso has twice won the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, first for Renault in 2005 and then for Ferrari in 2013, and it’s incredible to think that he will return to China this weekend fresh from announcing that he is going to stay in F1 until at least 2026.  When we consider that he first raced in F1 in 2001 and is still going to be racing 25 years later, it’s fantastic to see him maintain his motivation and commitment to the sport when in his 40’s.

When I retired from Formula 1 I knew I needed a break from the incredible pressure which came with racing, testing and travelling all the time. While it’s true that we now have 24 races, and I usually raced with only 16 Grands Prix each year, back then we had unlimited testing, so it was normal to race on the weekend and then fly to another country to test the car Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. When I stopped I felt I could not give it 100% any more.

Fernando has explained that he had to think very carefully about continuing because life as a Formula 1 driver leaves very little time for family, friends, hobbies or business interests. It’s a total, full time commitment. I am sure that one of the things that helped him rediscover his motivation for Formula 1 was taking a break from it for two years in 2019 and 2020. He returned with a fresh determination and it’s been great to see how much he has enjoyed it.

Aston Martin has not had as strong a start to this season as it did in 2023, but Fernando lies between George Russell and Lewis Hamilton in the Drivers’ championship and the team is only one point behind Mercedes in the battle for 4th in the Constructors’ series.  There is no doubt that Fernando gives the team a very consistent, high level of performance which is proving critical.

Take Note

It is five years since we last raced in Shanghai due to the impact of the global pandemic.  It’s a event great for F1, China being such an important market for the car manufacturers and team sponsors, but it’s also a great track with some really interesting features.  There is also the potential for rain, with a 30% chance at race time on Sunday.  That could really make things interesting, and then add in the fact that it’s a Sprint weekend, leaving very little time to prepare!

F1 first visited the Shanghai International Circuit in 2004, so this is the 20th anniversary. We can all remember some great racing over the years.  The long pit straight leads into the right hander at Turn 1 which then leads directly into the 270 degree Turn 2, immediately followed by a tight left at Turns 3 and into 4.  We have seen lots of good racing through T1, T2 and T3 previously and, remember, Turn 2 puts enormous strain on the front left tyre.  It’s really important to manage that.

The same tyre also takes punishment through the long right handers at T12 and T13, so we have seen tyre degradation issues here before and I am sure it will be a factor this weekend. We also have a very long back straight leading into the hairpin at T14, a perfect place for an overtake and some close wheel to wheel racing.  

Mika’s Tip

Red Bull Racing’s first ever F1 victory came here in 2009 and there is every chance Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will continue on their winning ways. Ferrari and McLaren should be battling for the remaining podium places with Mercedes and Aston Martin not far behind them, but 6-times Chinese GP winner Lewis Hamilton will be hoping for much more than that.

Looking at the remaining points places, my tip is that the Sauber Motorsport entries of Valtteri Bottas and local hero Zhou Guanyu could score their first World Championship points of the season. Valtteri has gone well here in the past, taking pole position the last time we visited and finishing 2nd in 2018 and 2019.  Zhou was only 5 years old when F1 first came to his city,  but he is super motivated to score points in front of his home crowd. Sauber boss Alessandro Alunni Bravi is positive that the potential for points is there and the team’s performance is improving. 

Credits:
Written by: Mika Hakkinen, publishing origin: Unibet
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