Formula One 2009 Goes to Shanghai

Formula One 2009 Pulls into Shanghai

The flag will drop on the Grand Prix of Shanghai at the Shanghai International Circuit in a week or so, and the drivers and teams have probably been contemplating the winding turns and high-speed straights designed into the amazing architecture of the circuit. The track combines a nice variety of high-speed corners and slow turns that put demands on the grip of the cars, and throws a few wrenches into the mix. The most challenging and enjoyable corners for both the racers and the drivers will probably be turns six and seven, sweeping left and right hand turns. The Shanghai circuit has always been hard on tires because of the severe lateral forces the cars will experience at speed. The track design requires a medium down-force setup for the race cars because of the two long straight stretches combined with many technical turns. The cars need the right setup to race effectively and fast with the heavy braking, fast accelerations, and constant changes in velocity.

The Shanghai Grand Prix is a technical track that Lewis Hamilton won on last year, so expect McLaren to do well, although, they probably won’t do as well as last year because they won’t have the same performance advantage they had last year. It will be even more important for Hamilton to start farther up the grid, if he’s able to do so; he might be able to finish high in the points or even on the podium, even though his car is running a little slower.

The Shanghai Grand Prix kicks off earlier this year than in previous years, so the temperatures should be a little easier to handle for both the drivers and the cars, but the chance of rain will increase, and they will need to keep their rain tires close by. The first turn should be spectacular and might be the real eye-grabber of the race as the drivers take their cars in a high speed on the throttle, then suddenly drop the car into second gear as the track tightens up.

“Images: Newscom.com”