Round 4 of the 2024 Formula One season takes place in Shanghai, China. This is the first time the championship has raced in China since the 2019 event. Here's what to look out for over the weekend.
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, China shut its borders to F1. It has taken until the spring of 2024 to get the championship back racing in the country.
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
This season, the sprint format comes into effect in Shanghai. Qualifying for the sprint event is now on Friday afternoon and the sprint race - a shorter race about one-third the distance of a Grand Prix - runs on Saturday morning, at 05:00 CEST (11:00 local in Shanghai, 03:00 UTC).
This is followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon before the main race as normal on Sunday.
Image Credit: Getty Images / BBC Sport
Alonso's Aston Martin deal will keep him in his current seat until at least 2026, past his 45th birthday. Hamilton's deal with Ferrari is at least a two-year commitment. Could we see Ferrari's first driver's world championship since Kimi Raikkonen's triumph in 2007?
A week after the announcement that Alonso will continue to race with Aston for at least the next two years, he denies claims of the team building the car entirely around him. Stroll has been praised in the past for his feedback on how the car can be improved, but clearly, those changes either are not being implemented or are not working at all for the young Canadian as he continues his podiumless drought.
Image Credit: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
When the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, China shut its borders to F1. It has taken until the spring of 2024 to get the championship back racing in the country.
Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool
This season, the sprint format comes into effect in Shanghai. Qualifying for the sprint event is now on Friday afternoon and the sprint race - a shorter race about one-third the distance of a Grand Prix - runs on Saturday morning, at 05:00 CEST (11:00 local in Shanghai, 03:00 UTC).
This is followed by qualifying for the Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon before the main race as normal on Sunday.
Lewis Hamilton Aims to Emulate Fernando Alonso
With the seismic breaking news of Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari announced back in February, the whole world of Formula One wants to know how long Hamilton will stick around at the prancing horse. In an interview with the BBC, Hamilton was quoted on saying he wants to emulate Fernando Alonso and continue to race, 'well into his forties'.Image Credit: Getty Images / BBC Sport
Alonso's Aston Martin deal will keep him in his current seat until at least 2026, past his 45th birthday. Hamilton's deal with Ferrari is at least a two-year commitment. Could we see Ferrari's first driver's world championship since Kimi Raikkonen's triumph in 2007?
Stroll Continues To Struggle At Aston Martin
Alonso has come forward and detailed how he has been able to adapt to the AMR24 a lot better than Lance Stroll has been able to.A week after the announcement that Alonso will continue to race with Aston for at least the next two years, he denies claims of the team building the car entirely around him. Stroll has been praised in the past for his feedback on how the car can be improved, but clearly, those changes either are not being implemented or are not working at all for the young Canadian as he continues his podiumless drought.
Image Credit: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
2024 Formula 1 Chinese GP session timings in China
Friday 19th April 2024
- Free Practice: 03:30 - 04:30 UTC
- Sprint Shootout: 07:30 - 08:14 UTC
Saturday 20th April 2024
- Sprint Race: 03:00 UTC
- Grand Prix Qualifying: 07:00 - 08:00 UTC
Sunday 21st April 2024
- Grand Prix: 07:00 UTC
