Video. Top 5 most notable Chinese Grand Prix

5. 2005 Chinese Grand Prix
The ordeal is certainly not hair-raising. Fernando Alonso (Renault) manages to transform his pole position (the last of the V10 era) into victory in the last meeting of the season without too much problem. But this success is of crucial importance, because it allows the Losange to win its very first Constructors' world title after a fierce fight against McLaren. It was worth a little song from the Spaniard on the radio:

The race is representative of the nightmarish season experienced by Ferrari et Michael Schumacher. The Scuderia leader collides with Christijan Albers (Minardi) during the installation lap towards the grid, and has to recover his mule (a rule which no longer exists in 2018). The German will crash in a strange way in the gravel trap during a neutralization.

4. 2011 Chinese Grand Prix
Yes, there was a time when the identity of a winner wasn't known until the final five rounds. The 2011 Chinese GP is the perfect illustration of this. On the 52nd of 56 laps, Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) leads in front Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) after the latter began a shifted strategy with more durable tires. The Brit takes advantage of a better pace to dive aggressively inside a high-speed curve and take the lead!

Incidentally, Jenson Button (McLaren) visits the Red Bull stand and there are several dozen overtakes, thanks in particular to a new device called “DRS”, which will quickly create controversy, making maneuvers too easy…

3. 2007 Chinese Grand Prix
The turning point of the 2007 championship for Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) is not his falling out with Fernando Alonso (McLaren) from Hungary, but rather his abandonment in Shanghai (China). Arrived in the Middle Kingdom with 12 and 17 points ahead of Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen (Ferrari), the Briton could be satisfied with a third place to pocket the crown. In the lead on a wet but gradually drying track, Lewis Hamilton remains on the track while his opponents exchange Rain tires for Dry ones.

The strategists of the Woking team (England) made a monumental blunder. Hamilton lost five seconds per lap and when he opted for the pit lane, its rear rubbers are in tatters. La car fails to brake and comes to a pitiful stop in the small gravel area. Surrender!

“It’s easy to say that it should have been stopped sooner, Ron Dennis justifies himself afterwards. The circuit was much drier than the pit entrance and that made the difference. » Who benefits from this error? Some Kimi Räikkönen (1st), which will be titled for a point in the following event.

2. 2006 Chinese Grand Prix
The 91st and final victory of Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) will remain as a highlight of his career in F1. In the thick of it with Fernando Alonso (Renault) for the title, the “Kaiser” reversed a poorly started situation on Saturday (pole for the Spaniard, sixth time for the Ferrari) as well as in the first third of the race. “Schumi” makes up for 25 seconds of delay on the n°1 of the time thanks to the appearance of a dry trajectory on the track.

With Bridgestone tires better suited than the Michelins in these conditions, the red car caught everyone's throat, until Fernando Alonso found an extra speed at the end of the effort. The “Bull of Asturias” fails at three seconds. The fight for fourth place during the last lap was also worth its weight in gold:

1. 2010 Chinese Grand Prix
If you want to pass on the passion for F1 to someone, then recommend the 2010 edition. Overtaking galore (without DRS or Kers!), including in the pit lane, intermittent rain which played on the nerves of the competitors, and probably one of the most beautiful victories of the career of Jenson Button (McLaren). A success in complete harmony with his style of driving in the rain, smoothly, fluid like a trucker. It's impossible to summarize the race as the events keep coming!