After a five year absence, Shanghai International Circuit – host of the Chinese Grand Prix since 2004 – made its return to the F1 calendar this year. The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix is set to take place on April 23.
1127th F1 GRAND PRIX | 18th CHINESE GRAND PRIX | 18th GRAND PRIX AT SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT
2024 POLESITTER: MAX VERSTAPPEN | 2024 WINNER: MAX VERSTAPPEN
2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday April 21
Free Practice 1 – 11:30am Local Time / 4:30am UK Time
Sprint Qualifying – 3:30pm Local Time / 8:30am UK Time
Saturday April 22
Sprint – 11am Local Time / 4:00am UK Time
Qualifying – 3pm Local Time / 8:00am UK Time
Sunday April 23
The 2025 Chinese Grand Prix – 3pm Local Time / 8am UK Time
2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX: WEEKEND MILESTONES
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READ MORE IN MILESTONES AND RECORDS TO BREAK
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX
WHAT HAS CHANGED AT THE CIRCUIT SINCE LAST TIME?
Changes to the circuit since last year’s race will be posted here.
HOW MANY DRS ZONES WILL THERE BE AT THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
It’s yet to be announced how many DRS zones there will be at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. Last year, activation zones were located on the circuit’s two longest straights.
SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT TRACK GUIDE
F1 broke into the Chinese market in 2004 with its first race at Shanghai International Circuit. The winding track, with incredible architecture, was an immediate hit with fans and drivers.
The first vision for a Chinese Grand Prix came in the 1990s, when planning had taken place for a circuit to be built to host F1 in the south of China. The result of this was the Zuhai International Circuit, which gained a place on the 1999 calendar. However, the event never happened as the track failed to meet the FIA’s standards.
Undeterred, another circuit was commissioned to be built near Shanghai. Three years after their failed attempt, a deal was announced for the yet to be built Shanghai International Circuit to host a Grand Prix for seven years from 2004.
The Shanghai International Circuit is located twenty miles north of the centre of China’s largest city – Shanghai. It is situated on the banks of the Yangtze River Delta in East China. The track was designed by Hermann Tilke and resembles the Chinese character shang, meaning ‘ascend’. The team buildings resemble the ancient Yuyan-Garden in Shanghai.
READ MORE IN OUR ULTIMATE TRACK GUIDE
WHO WILL BE IN THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX PRESS CONFERENCES?
The world’s media will have the opportunity to talk to the drivers ahead of the on-track action. The drivers appearing in the press conference for this race are yet to be announced.
The media will also be talking to prominent members of Formula 1’s teams in a separate press conference over the race weekend. The team members appearing in the press conference are yet to be announced.
WHO WILL BE THE RACE DIRECTOR AT THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
Rui Marques will be the race director at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix.
WHO WILL BE THE DRIVER STEWARD AT THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
Each weekend a former Formula 1 driver, or a driver from another prominent series of motorsport, joins the stewards to help judge any incidents from a drivers’ perspective. The Driver Steward this weekend is yet to be announced.
WHICH TYRE COMPOUNDS WILL BE USED AT THE 2025 CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
Pirelli have not yet announced which tyre compounds will be used at the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix. The C2, C3 and C4 compounds were used in 2024.
WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME AT THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
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WHAT’S THE FASTEST EVER LAP AT THE CHINESE GRAND PRIX?
Attending the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix? Learn more about visiting Shanghai International Circuit in the F1Destinations Travel Guide.