The F1 circus continues the Pacific journey with the third race of series seeing a return to China for the first time since the Covid pandemic begun. Talking of vaccines our 2024 Chinese F1 Grand Prix Preview will give you a quick boost of excitement ahead of the upcoming big weekend of Formula 1.
The Gurgler’s 2024 Chinese F1 Grand Prix Preview brings some thoughts on the race itself, a few bold predictions here and there, a more than a few barely interesting stats.
Essentially a quick summary of what a casual F1 fan needs in the shortest possible time for your convenience.
READ MORE: 2024 Bold F1 Season Predictions
READ MORE: 2024 Japanese Grand Prix Review
READ MORE: 2024 Japanese Grand Prix Driver Ratings
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The track map looks like either a three year old’s drawing of an old telephone or some kind of character doing a sit up. Either way it is not really a track you sit up with in excitement. It’s a typical modern venue, that is occasionally hard to tell from others. With enough DRS and straights there should be enough opportunity for overtaking at least. But the technical will mean not much racing for three quarters of the lap. Maybe some qualifying rain will help.
2024 Japanese F1 Grand Prix Preview – Race Rating
The Gurgler does like to use some obscure drivers in our Race previews and report, so who better to use than Teo Fabi to determine a race rating system.
So before each race we give a rating out of ten for four key category that are loosely based on each letter of Teo Fabi’s surname. Don’t know who Teo Fabi is, you should.
FAST? 4/10 – It’s got some long straights, which should see some racing. But you wouldn’t call it fast.
ACTION? 5/10 – Daniel Ricciardo’s win in 2018 reminds us of some good action. And lord knows he needs a repeat. But outside of that, we’re finding it hard to remember that many memorable races.
BIG HISTORY? – 4/10 It’s a longer term modern track that’s been around since 2004. And it has had a few moments. Something about Michael Schumacher running into a car on his installation lap from the pits to grid. Daniel Ricciardo had a look win there once. Red Bull won their first race ever in 2009 with Sebastian Vettel. So it has some history.
INCLEMENT WEATHER? – 5/10 There’s a 40% or so chance of rain on both Friday and Saturday. Friday rain is no good due to wet tyre allocation limiting teams’ running time. So let’s hope there’s little on the Friday and more chance of rain on Saturday as we get closer to the big day.
RACE RATING 45% – A modern circuit needs a modern rating.
2024 Chinese F1 Grand Prix Preview – Stats
Want to know if your favourite driver for this weekend is a master of the track or the track is a master of them? Here then are some barely interesting facts and stats.
- A driver that qualifies third has never retired from the Chinese Grand Prix.
- Nine races have seen the pole sitter with the race.
- China has the fifth lowest DNF % of all the current tracks. (14.7%)
- Lance Stroll has never scored a point at the Chinese GP in three attempts.
- Lewis Hamilton has won the most GPs of any driver in China, and his only non points finish was his first race when he couldn’t get out of the pitlane sandtrap, in the moment that cost him a Championship win on debut.
- Good news for Daniel Riccardo is he has finished all but his first race here in the points.
DRIVER GRID POSITION vs RACE RESULT – CURRENT DRIVERS
TEAM GRID POSITION vs RACE RESULT
From 2004.
HISTORIC DRIVER RESULTS
99 = a DNF. Grid position 20 is overstated as that was also used for cars starting in pitlane.
HISTORIC TEAM RESULTS
Since 2004.
GRID POSITION INTO RACE RESULT
99 = a DNF. Grid position 20 is overstated as that was also used for cars starting in pitlane. Results from 2001.
- Max Verstappen to win by half a minute.
- Points for Daniel Ricciardo.
ALL RACE RESULTS – CHINESE F1 GRAND PRIX
ALL TIME RESULTS
