SHANGHAI — After a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Formula One returns to China this weekend. The last time F1 raced in Shanghai, Lewis Hamilton won the race — the 1,000th in F1’s history — by six seconds from Mercedes teammate Valtteri Bottas on his way to the sixth of his seven titles. Underlining just how much times have changed since then, F1’s current dominant force and reigning three-time world champion, Max Verstappen, finished 27 seconds off the pace in his Red Bull.
As much as the sport has changed since 2019, F1’s time away has had no discernible impact on the impressive Shanghai paddock. The team hospitality units, which are set within pagoda-style buildings among a maze of bridges spanning ornamental ponds, look as pristine as they did when F1 left five years ago, and the twin bridges over the pit straight remain as imposing as they were when the first race took place in 2004.
Some of elements of the track have changed, however, and provided an immediate talking point during Thursday’s media sessions.
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‘Paint’ on track
Built on marshland 25 miles from the center of China’s most populous city, the Shanghai International Circuit has always been evolving during its 20-year history. The tendency for land to shift under the circuit has resulted in bumps and lumps on the track surface, which have to be regularly remedied by the circuit owners.
Just over a year ago, asphalt along the entire length of the 3.4-mile track was re-laid in preparation for F1’s return, but it was the unusual treatment on top of the track surface that proved a point of conversation, and some confusion, on Thursday.
“It looks like they’ve painted the track or something,” RB driver Daniel Ricciardo told media. “They’ve done something to the surface. I don’t know how the track’s going to change, or if it’s going to be the same or super slippery. But maybe that changes the way the tires behave.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc added: “It depends a lot on the type of paint they use. And that can cause different issues or have no issues at all, which hope it’s the latter that will be the case tomorrow, but for now, it’s very difficult to predict.
“I have only seen pictures, so I haven’t gone around the track yet. I don’t think it’s the same everywhere, which also might not be great. But yeah,…
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