Five years later, the paddock is back in Shanghai where the fifth round of a world championship until then unsurprisingly dominated by Max Verstappen's team will take place.
After sixteen editions between 2004 and 2019, the Chinese Grand Prix hibernated for four years due to the Covid crisis. Included on the calendar last year before being canceled once again, the country of the Middle Kingdom will finally be able to host Formula 1 again this weekend. Good news for drivers who particularly appreciate the Shanghai circuit, renowned for its tight turns. After the first four races of the season, a hierarchy begins to take shape. It will be interesting to see if it is confirmed in China - location of the first Sprint Race of the season - where Lewis Hamilton won in the last edition contested five years ago.
Unsurprisingly, the Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez dominate the pack. The Dutchman, already winner of three races, and the Mexican occupy the first two places in the world championship, only separated by thirteen points. Behind, Ferrari asserts itself as the main threat. The SF-24 was well born, and after Carlos Sainz's victory in Australia, the Scuderia drivers confirmed their good intentions at Suzuka where the Spaniard finished third ahead of Charles Leclerc. The Italian single-seaters are proving more efficient than the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and especially than the Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and George Russell, who have been quite disappointing so far.
At the other end of the standings, we find Alpine, one of the three teams with Sauber and Williams not yet to have entered the points. At Suzuka two weeks ago, Esteban Ocon (15th) and Pierre Gasly (16th) once again dragged their misery onto the track, aboard a car criticized by the French drivers, reduced to fighting at the back of the grid. Unfortunately for them, the trend is not towards improvement, quite the opposite in fact, and the season risks being very long for the two Normans.
After Japan at the beginning of April, Formula 1 remains in Asia this weekend with the fifth round of the world championship scheduled for China. New race with a significant time difference - there are six hours more in Shanghai than in Paris - so the French viewer will still be entitled to a fairly early morning program. The cars will run from 5:30 a.m. on Friday for the only free practice session as it will be followed by qualifying for the Sprint Race. On Saturday, from 5 a.m., the drivers will compete in the first Sprint of the year before continuing with qualifying for the race, which will start the next day at 9 a.m.
The Chinese Grand Prix will be broadcast exclusively on the channels of the Canal group, holder of the rights to the Formula 1 world championship. You will have to tune into Canal Sport to watch the drivers compete during the first two days while the Grand Prix on Sunday , will be broadcast on Canal.
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 77 points2. Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 64 points3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59 points4. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 55 points5. Lando Norris (McLaren) 37 points6. Oscar Piastri (McLaren) 32 points7. George Russell (Mercedes) 24 points. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 24 points9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 10 points10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 9 points11. Yuki Tsunoda (Racing Bulls) 7 points12. Oliver Bearman (Ferrari) 6 points13. Niko Hülkenberg (Haas) 3 points14. Kevin Magnussen (Haas) 1 point
The 2024 Formula 1 season will feature 24 Grands Prix. It began at the end of February in Bahrain and will end at the beginning of December in Abu Dhabi. Here is the complete F1 2024 calendar with times given in French time:
1. Bahrain GP (Sakhir): Saturday March 2 (Winner: Verstappen)2. Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah): Saturday March 9 (Winner: Verstappen)3. Australian GP (Melbourne): Sunday March 24 (Winner: Sainz)4. Japanese GP (Suzuka): Sunday April 7 (Winner: Verstappen)5. Chinese GP (Shanghai): Sunday April 21 at 9:6 a.m. Miami GP (Miami): Sunday May 5 at 9:7 p.m. Emilia-Romagna GP (Imola): Sunday May 19 at 3:8 p.m. Monaco GP: Sunday May 26 at 5:9 a.m. Canadian GP (Montreal): Sunday June 9 at 8:10 p.m. Spanish GP (Barcelona): Sunday June 23 at 3:11 p.m. Austrian GP (Spielberg): Sunday June 30 at 3:12 p.m. British GP (Silverstone): Sunday July 7 at 4:13 p.m. Hungarian GP (Budapest): Sunday July 21 at 3:14 p.m. Belgian GP (Spa-Francorchamps): Sunday July 28 at 3:15 p.m. Dutch GP (Zandvoort): Sunday August 25 at 3:16 p.m. Italian GP (Monza): Sunday September 1 at 3:17 p.m. Azerbaijan GP (Baku): Sunday September 15 at 1:18 p.m. Singapore GP (Marina Bay): Sunday September 22 at 2:19 p.m. United States GP (Austin): Sunday October 20 at 9:20 p.m. Mexican GP (Mexico City): Sunday October 27 at 8:21 p.m. Brazilian GP (Interlagos): Sunday November 3 at 7:22 p.m. Las Vegas GP (Las Vegas): Sunday, November 24 at 6:23 a.m. Qatar GP (Losail): Sunday October 1 at 3:24 p.m. Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina): Sunday December 8 at 2 p.m.
