Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix History
History - Facts - Winners - Schedule - Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit in Shanghai, People's Republic of China, is the most expensive Formula One circuit facility ever made, it had a cost of US$240 million.
As the number of F1 World Championship Grand Prix cities increase, it wasn’t going to be long before a Chinese Grand Prix entered the calendar for Asia. In October 2002 FIA announced that Shanghai had signed a seven year contract to host F1’s Chinese Grand Prix. This will add to the already existing Malaysian Grand Prix and long-standing Japanese Grand Prix in Asia.
The number of F1 Asian fans that attend this event (Shanghai Grand Prix) continues to grow each year, especially among the young Chinese, for whom owning their own car is a reality nowadays. Also, adding the dazzling city of Shanghai to the F1 line-up will increase the exposure of F1 exponentially.
Initially, the circuit was located in the city of Zhuhai in Guangdong Province, southern China, the Chinese government had spent more than nine years in the development of the racing circuit there and was originally scheduled to join the F1 World Championship calendar in 1998, but the track failed to meet international standards and subsequently went bankrupt in 1999.
The 2004 season will see the first Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit. Shanghai’s circuit was designed to be one of the cutting-edge F1 circuits in the world and incorporates many of the most modern technologies, as well as important Chinese symbolism.
For the Chinese as for most Asians, symbolism is an important aspect of life and this is no different at the Shanghai International Circuit. The Shanghai track itself was designed in the shape Chinese symbol ‘Shang’, which symbolizes ‘high’ or ‘above’.
The Shanghai racing complex has four gates which provide the stunning architectural focus of the area. The Shanghai’s circuit main grandstand is flanked by two red towers, which will symbolically ‘guard’ the guests, like the two traditional Chinese lions you see in front of many Chinese buildings. The colors red and gold are important choices and are present throughout the Shanghai circuit design. They represent good luck and power in Chinese symbolism. Water, is another important factor, and is present at the Shanghai’s circuit in the form of a lake, around the team buildings. Water, promotes tranquility and reflection.
For the city of Shanghai hosting the F1 Grand Prix was not enough and in July 2003, it announced the launch of its own motor racing team, which it eventually hopes to race on the F1 circuit. The Guangdong based racing team, was established there for the initial F1 circuit has agreed to move its operations to Shanghai. The team will race as Shanghai FRD and currently competes in the Asian Formula Renault Challenge and Formula Campus. The aim is to become China’s first F1 team.