Shanghai International Circuit

History

Shanghai International Circuit was conceived by the Shanghai authorities as a way to showcase the city to the world. A 5.3 sq km site was chosen in the Jiading District in the north west of the city, close to major car parts manufacturing facilities and a budget of 2.6 billion yuan ($450 million) raised through a government-funded joint-venture company, the Shanghai Jiushi Group.

Herman Tilke was chosen to design the track and associated buildings, and between April and May 2003, engineers visited the site to draw up their plans. The site was actually a swampland, previously used as rice paddy fields, and extensive groundworks had to be completed to construct the circuit. For 18 months some 3,000 workers were on site daily to complete the facility – a remarkable feat of both engineering and logistics.

When it opened, visitors found a vast complex, dominated by the main grandstand and pit complex, which featured wing-like viewing platforms crossing the circuit at either end. This can hold 30,000 spectators alone, and others around the circuit take the total capacity to 200,000. Paddock facilities were also unique – each of the F1 teams had its own building, arranged like pavilions in a lake to resemble the ancient Yu Garden in Shanghai.

The Shanghai International Circuit is the first in China to be purpose-built for Formula One and it hosts FIA Formula One World Championship Chinese Grand Prix every year since 2004. The circuit also held a number of global high-profile series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and the GT World Challenge Asia.

In the past, the circuit has hosted the MotoGP world championship, and a one-off V8 Supercars China Round of the Australian-based V8 Supercar championship in 2005, and also the final round of the A1 Grand Prix in 2006/2007.

In 2011, the Shanghai International Circuit signed a sponsorship deal with Audi and was subsequently named the Shanghai Audi International Circuit and the SAIC International Circuit following a deal with SAIC Motor.

Layout

The track layout was inspired from the Chinese character , the first character in the name of the city Shanghai, meaning "above" or "ascend".

There's a unique start to the lap as the drivers fly into the ever-tightening Turns 1 and 2, before they dart left through 3 and 4. The super-high g force Turns 7 and 8 are loved by the drivers, while the circuit also features one of the longest straights on the calendar, the 1.2 km stretch that separates turns 13 and 14.

A lap in a Formula One car

The first two bends make a 185 km/h right-hand curve which leads immediately into turns 3 and 4 taken at 105 km/h. One and two are far more difficult – a lift on entry followed by various taps of the throttle and brakes are needed so the car maintains balance throughout. It also becomes blind towards the middle of the corner. Three and four are less complicated, with three being a simple hairpin, but a good exit is needed from four to gain speed down the following straight and through turn 5. The complex of turns 1–4 makes up the first of two "snails" on the circuit, the other being turns 11–13. Turn 6 is a second gear, right-handed hairpin with plentiful run-off. Turns 7 and 8 make up a high speed chicane – the left-right complex sees a constant G-force of 3 Turn 14 is a hairpin at the end of the straight – the second gear corner is a prime overtaking spot as DRS is available in the run up to the corner. Turn 16 is the last corner – a fourth-gear left-hander which requires a quick tap on the brakes – braking early can be more effective as you can then carry more speed through the corner and then down the pit straight.

Events

; Current

• March: Formula One Chinese Grand Prix, F1 Academy, SRO GT Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia
• April: TCR China Touring Car Championship, TCR China Challenge, F4 Chinese Championship, China GT Championship
• June: GT World Challenge Asia, SRO GT Cup
• July: Formula E Shanghai ePrix
• September: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, TCR China Touring Car Championship, TCR China Challenge, China GT Championship
• October: Shanghai 8 Hours

; Former

• A1 Grand Prix (2006–2008)
• Asian Le Mans Series
  • 4 Hours of Shanghai (2014, 2018–2019)
• Aston Martin Asia Cup (2008–2009)
• Audi R8 LMS Cup (2012–2019)
• China Formula Grand Prix (2015–2019)
• F3 Asian Championship (2018–2019)
• Ferrari Challenge Asia-Pacific (2011–2019)
• FIA World Endurance Championship
  • 4 Hours of Shanghai (2012–2019)
• Formula BMW Pacific (2004–2008)
• Formula Masters Series (2011–2017)
• Formula Renault AsiaCup (2004–2011, 2013–2018)
• Formula V6 Asia (2008)
• Grand Prix motorcycle racing
  • Chinese motorcycle Grand Prix (2005–2008)
• GP2 Asia Series (2008)
• GT Asia Series (2014–2017)
• Superrace Championship (2014–2016)
• TCR Asia Series (2016–2019, 2021, 2025)
• TCR International Series (2015)
• Trofeo Maserati (2012–2014)
• V8 Supercars
  • V8 Supercars China Round (2005)
• World Touring Car Championship
  • FIA WTCC Race of China (2012–2016)

Lap records

The total length of the circuit is 5.451 km, which is about average for a Formula One circuit. Michael Schumacher's official race lap record of 1:32.238 has stood since 2004. In Q3 of the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri qualified on pole position with a time of 1:30.641, a new unofficial track record. As of May 2025, the fastest official race lap records at the Shanghai International Circuit are listed as:

Gallery

File:Shanghai International Circuit 2.jpg|Exterior of main grandstand File:Shanghai International Circuit 4.jpg|Main grandstand File:Shanghai Circuit Main Grandstand o.jpg|View from the main grandstand File:Shanghai International Circuit 5.jpg|Covered grandstand H & K File:Hamilton China 2008.jpg|Grandstand H & K File:Shanghai International Circuit 6.jpg|Pit

References

References

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