Focus on... Out with the new, in with the old
Finally, common sense has prevailed -- F1 has scrapped the unpopular live elimination format and will go to China with the old, but popular, qualifying rules that were in force last season. That means Saturday will revert to to the top ten shootout system and a format which should end the farcical scenes of drivers sitting in their cars before they have been eliminated and the session has ended. The fact F1 allowed the saga to drag on as long as it did is a damming indictment of the current decision-making process and, as Kimi Raikkonen of all people suggested, must have made the sport look pretty stupid to outsiders.
There will be some genuine questions floating around the paddock in Shanghai; such as whether F1's governance truly does need changing, whether a workable change to the weekend format can be found for 2017 and, perhaps most interestingly, whether the growing united front being shown by the drivers will actually lead to anything meaningful. Whatever the answers to those questions are, F1 has a great chance to have the spectacle and not politics dominate the headlines come next Monday.
In need of a podium
Two podiums in two races is a good start for Ferrari; two retirements in the same span is not. In China the Prancing Horse needs to finish with both cars on the podium -- preferably the top two steps -- or risk watching Mercedes disappearing into the distance as the calendar moves onto a string of circuits which should suit the world champions over Ferrari.
In need of points
Esteban Gutierrez gets the award for the unluckiest man of the season at the moment. The Mexican driver was clouted by Fernando Alonso in Australia before a race-ending brake failure in Bahrain, all while watching Haas teammate Romain Grosjean score stunning sixth- and fifth-place finishes. With Grosjean predicting upwards of 0.5s a lap to come from the fledgling American outfit, some very healthy points could be coming Gutierresz's way if he has a clean weekend.
Weather
The weather is always unpredictable in Shanghai, not only day-to-day but session-by-session. There's no change this weekend, with rain forecast for Saturday qualifying, which ironically could achieve the sort of mixed up grid that was behind the introduction of the live-elimination format.
Betting
As he has been since the start of 2014, Lewis Hamilton is once again the bookies' favourite for race victory at 11/10. Nico Rosberg is tipped to be his closest challenger at 6/4, though Sebastian Vettel could run them both close and has odds of 5/1 top be on the top step come Sunday.
ESPN prediction
Ferrari has run Mercedes close in the last two rounds and did so at last year's Chinese Grand Prix. The unique front-limited Shanghai circuit could bring Ferrari closer than we've seen so far this season but a flawless weekend without reliabilty issues will be needed to beat Mercedes. With chairman Sergio Marchionne reportedly set to make an appearance in the paddock, we are being bold and backing Sebastian Vettel to beat the Mercedes drivers to victory.
A lap with... Toro Rosso's Max Verstappen
"I like China, I remember I had some good overtakes there! The first four corners of the circuit, Turns 1 to 4, are a very special part and tricky to get right. Another part of the track that I enjoyed last year was Turn 6... I did a good move there! I couldn't overtake Sergio Perez on the straight, so I had to do it somewhere else... I got a good exit out of Turn 5 and, approaching Turn 6, where you normally brake late - as it's a hairpin - I managed to overtake him by braking even later than usual.
"It's a big relief when you finally get passed a rival and I was very happy. Turns 7, 8, 9 and 10 are hard on the tyres, so you have to save the rears a bit to get good traction out of there. Another thing I remember from this circuit are the overtakes at Turn 14 - I prepared myself well down the long straight each time and in the end managed to get by from very far! Unfortunately, last year I had a little issue on the main straight with only a few laps to go... And had to retire. I will try not to think about it this year and fight to see the chequered flag in the best possible position"
Tyres
Available compounds: Medium, soft, super-soft
Only a few days to go to the #F1 #ChineseGP Do you know what your team ordered? https://t.co/WbWxqUtXw3 pic.twitter.com/DgvkmZuPiV
— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) April 12, 2016
Key tyre info for Shanghai, courtesy of Pirelli:
- Weather conditions are nearly always unpredictable, which have a big effect on tyre behaviour.
-As a result, graining is sometimes an issue when it's cool: especially in the early sessions.
-Around 80% of the lap is spent cornering, meaning that lateral loads are a crucial factor.
-The track is front limited, because of all the turns and high-energy corners.
-The crucial corners are Turn 1, which is almost a full circle, and Turn 13, which is banked.
-Drivers also have to avoid wheelspin out of the corners, in order to minimise rear degradation.