Photo Credit: Formula 1
The Chinese Grand Prix is back for the first time since 2019, after an interruption by the coronavirus pandemic that struck the country and the heavy restrictions that had been put in place by the country.
It's the fifth race of the season and the first Sprint race weekend of the year. Shanghai is known for being a front-limited circuit, as the grip at the front of the car is the key definer of the lap time as the long corners put a lot of stress on the front tires. As a result, it’s expected to generate friction on the front tires,where the surface tears and reduces grip.
Aston Martin’s lance stroll topped the times at the end of a practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix. He was 0.327 seconds ahead of McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen third.
The second fastest team this season found the circuit a bit challenging. This being Ferrari,they were 13th and 14th with Charles Leclerc ahead of Carlos Sainz. Also, Mercedes drivers George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were 17th and 18th.
The former champions ran only on hard tires, during which Hamilton complained that his car was really bad.
Qualifying for the Sprint race is on Friday at 8:30 UK time, with the sprint race being the first track action on Saturday, followed by Grand Prix qualifying later the same day.
Ferrari has proved strong recently at circuits where there are high levels of graining. Take a look at Las Vegas at the end of last year and Australia this year, and this gives them a chance in the Grand Prix.
As for the other teams, McLaren was worried about China because their car does not work well in corners with long entries, where the car is braking and turning for a long time.
Fans are eagerly waiting for the sprint qualifying.
