Who’s hot 🔥 and who’s not 👎🻠in China? Motorsport Week takes a look at how teams and drivers have fared in recent years at the Shanghai International Circuit.
Wins ðŸ†
Four of the drivers on the current grid have taken a victory at the Chinese Grand Prix – but only one has stood atop the podium more than once.
Lewis Hamilton took victory for McLaren in 2008 and 2011, before adding further wins with Mercedes in title-winning campaigns in 2014, 2015 and 2017.
Sebastian Vettel delivered Red Bull’s maiden victory at the event in 2009 while last season Daniel Ricciardo surged forwards in the closing stages to take his first China win.
Kimi Raikkonen is the other Chinese Grand Prix victor after he triumphed with Ferrari in 2007.
Related: Five key talking points ahead of the 2019 Chinese GP
Podiums 🎉
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As the most successful driver in China it is little surprise that Hamilton also tops the podium chart.
His tally of eight puts him above Raikkonen (6) and Vettel (5) among his contemporaries.
A quartet of other drivers on the grid have one Chinese Grand Prix trophy in their collection.
Joining 2018 winner Ricciardo with one podium appearance at the venue are Daniil Kvyat, Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas.
Poles 💨
Only two drivers on the current grid have topped qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix – and their identities will be of little surprise.
Hamilton has taken six pole positions at the circuit (2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017), while Vettel took three in a row from 2009 through 2011 with Red Bull, and added another 12 months ago for Ferrari.
What else? ðŸ”
Ferrari won three of the first four Chinese Grands Prix, but in the 11 events since it has won just once – in 2013 – meaning it has yet to triumph at the venue in the hybrid era.
Mercedes claimed its first victory of this phase of its existence (ie, post-2010) in 2012 and claimed four-in-a-row in the first years of the hybrid era until it was defeated last year by Red Bull.
China has seen a high finishing record in recent years. All 20 drivers were classified in 2018, two years after the entire field of 22 greeted the chequered flag.
This weekend marks the 250th entry of the Toro Rosso team following its takeover of the Minardi squad – which bowed out of Formula 1 at the 2005 finale in Shanghai.
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