Shanghai International Circuit
Chinese Grand Prix, Shanghai, China
After a few false starts, China finally achieved its wish to have a Formula One race in 2004, and the Shanghai circuit is as stunning as you’d expect from a nation making a splash on the world stage. Drivers love the 3.4-mile track, which is regarded as having a bit of everything. Fans are eager to get hold of Chinese Grand Prix tickets, too, perhaps because they can see so much of the action – around four-fifths of the track is visible from the main grandstand.
Whether by accident or design, the track layout resembles the Chinese character shang – the first word in Shanghai, meaning ‘high’, ‘above’ or ‘ascend’. Like other Hermann Tilke-designed tracks, it has a long back straight – enabling speeds of 186 mph and plenty of chances for overtaking – followed by a hairpin turn. Drivers must quickly accelerate and decelerate on the various winding turns to do well.
The circuit was built by a government-funded joint-venture company in the north-western suburb of Jiading at a cost of about $450 million. Work began in 2002, with more than 3,000 engineers working around the clock for 18 months. The marshy ground – formerly paddy fields – presented a real challenge but the circuit was ready by the end of 2004.
Booking a Page & Moy F1 tour is a great way to see the race and discover more about this amazing city and wider country.
Shanghai is a city on the rise, literally, with major buildings shooting up all over the city. High above the pensioners doing their daily Tai Ch’i, the district of Lujiazui in particular punches ever higher into the sky – and is now perhaps the east’s answer to Manhattan. The 1,535-foot Oriental Pearl Tower is currently the biggest, and unmissable if you have a head for heights. Shanghai’s bars and nightlife are modern and distinctly cutting-edge, in line with the economy of a booming city that is getting wealthier by the day.
It wasn’t always like this. For a glimpse of colonial era Shanghai, take a wander around the Bund area. The old French quarter is mainly on Huaihai Road, while the old Chinese city dates back even further and is definitely worth a look. For a bit of context on the city’s fascinating past, try the Shanghai Municipal History Museum. For art-lovers, the Shanghai Museum is the best bet.
To see the rest of the country, go for Page & Moy’s Highlights of China tour, which includes visits to the Forbidden City, Great Wall and Terracotta Army in addition to a Shanghai stay and tickets for the big race.
How to book
View our complete list of F1 packages to the Chinese Grand Prix this year.