Daniel Ricciardo Describes Shanghai International Circuit As ‘Technical And Aggressive’

Australian Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo recently spoke of the venue of the 2015 Chinese Grand Prix, the third race of the current Formula One, or F1, season that will take place at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 10 to 12, 2015. Ricciardo had an impressive run, finishing fourth place at the Shanghai International Circuit last year.

“I’d call it technical - Turns One, Two, and Three are very long and technical,” Ricciardo said of the Chinese GP venue during a recent Red Bull pre-race interview. “I don’t think there’s any other corner like it on the calendar, and it’s very, very aggressive on the front tires, you could drink a can of Red Bull driving down it.”

Ricciardo was in the front row of the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix. He earned second on the grid behind Mercedes F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, who eventually took the checquered flag. Ricciardo missed out on a place in the podium after Fernando Alonso, who was still racing for Ferrari then, posted the fastest lap later on in the race.

The Shanghai International Circuit first hosted the Chinese Grand Prix in 2004. Approximately 80 percent of the tracks are bizarre corners, with right and left curves as well as long straight lanes. Since most of the laps at that Shanghai International Circuit are spent driving around corners, the formidable challenge for the drivers is the tyre wear in addition to the swift turns and long straights.

Pirelli Motorsport Director Paul Hembery stated that tyre management will be a key factor during the race weekend. Hamilton had two stops last year. The 30-year-old Mercedes driver won the race with a soft-medium-medium tyre strategy. Hamilton pitted at lap 17 and then stopped again at lap 38.

“The front-left tyre is the most stressed in Shanghai, while the traction demands of the circuit also give a lot of work to the rear tyres,” Hembery said. “Strategy-wise, we’d normally expect a two-stop race.”

Chinese Grand Prix Winners (Year - Winner - Constructor)

2004 - Rubens Barichello - Ferrari

2005 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari

2006 - Michael Schumacher - Ferrari

2007 - Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari

2008 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren-Mercedes

2009 - Sebastian Vettel - Red Bull-Renault

2010 - Jenson Button - McLaren-Mercedes

2011 - Lewis Hamilton - McLaren-Mercedes

2012 - Nico Rosberg - Mercedes

2013 - Fernando Alonso - Ferrari

2014 - Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes

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