Chinese Grand Prix 2026

The Shanghai International Circuit was built on swampland in the Jiading district, around 30 kilometres from the city centre. German track architect Hermann Tilke led the construction project, which had a budget of roughly 450 million US dollars, making it one of the most expensive circuits of its time. Since the ground could not bear the load, piles up to 80 metres long were driven into the subsoil and the entire facility was built on layers of polystyrene. The circuit opened on 6 June 2004, and just a few months later it hosted its first Formula 1 race.

The track is run by Shanghai International Circuit Co., majority owned by the state-linked Shanghai Jiushi Group. After running every year from 2004 to 2019, the Chinese Grand Prix dropped off the calendar for several years due to the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent scheduling issues, before returning in 2024. The track surface was completely resurfaced ahead of the 2025 edition.

At 5.451 kilometres, the circuit features 16 corners, seven left-handers and nine right-handers. The layout is inspired by the Chinese character for “Shang”, meaning “up high”: turns 1 to 3 form a tightening, almost complete loop known in the paddock as the snail corner. Between turns 13 and 14 lies the longest straight on the Formula 1 calendar at around 1.3 kilometres, where cars reach speeds of roughly 330 km/h.

The inaugural winner in 2004 was Rubens Barrichello in the dominant Ferrari F2004. Two years later Michael Schumacher took his 91st and final Grand Prix win in Shanghai, in the middle of his direct title fight with Fernando Alonso. In 2025 Oscar Piastri won in Shanghai as the circuit returned to the calendar after its long absence.