The 1,000th World Championship race, a milestone weekend for Toro Rosso and a chance for Mercedes to equal McLaren’s tally of 1-2 finishes. Here are the records which are up for grabs over the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix weekend!
THE NUMBERS AND MILESTONES
This weekend is a massive milestone for Formula 1, as we reach the 1000th championship race since the series began in 1950.
This will be the 16th Chinese Grand Prix and the 16th F1 race at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The 12th lap of the 2019 Chinese Grand Prix will be the 850th racing lap of the Shanghai track.
This will be the first Chinese Grand Prix in F1 history to not feature Fernando Alonso on the grid.
The Chinese Grand Prix will be Toro Rosso’s 250th Grand Prix. With the event being the 1000th F1 race, that means the team will have appeared in exactly one quarter of F1’s races – exactly the same percentage as Jordan.
If Daniel Ricciardo finishes on the podium he’ll reach 1,000 points scored in his career.
If Lewis Hamilton leads 15 laps of the Chinese Grand Prix, he’ll become only the second driver in F1 history to have led 4,000 laps of races.
A fastest lap for Kimi Raikkonen would see him become only the fifth driver to take a fastest lap with four different teams.
THE RECORDS TO BEAT
If Mercedes take a 1-2 finish this weekend, they’ll equal McLaren for second on the all-time list of most 1-2 finishes for a constructor. While Bahrain marked Mercedes’ 46th 1-2 finish, McLaren have had 47 – their most recent being at the 2010 Canadian Grand Prix.
This weekend marks the last opportunity for George Russell to become F1’s youngest-ever polesitter.
Having equalled Martin Brundle’s tally at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Nico Hulkenberg will take the outright third spot in the all time list of most Grands Prix without a victory should he fail to win this weekend.
FERRARI v MERCEDES IN CHINA
Ferrari could equal Mercedes’ record tally of Chinese Grand Prix victories this weekend. Ferrari currently have four, while Mercedes have five. Mercedes themselves could extend their own record.
While Ferrari have the record total of twelve podiums at the Chinese Grand Prix, Mercedes could equal that tally this weekend. Currently on ten, Mercedes would equal the record if both of their cars finished in the top three, with neither Ferrari finishing on the podium.
Ferrari could become the second team (after Mercedes) to have led over 1,000km here. Currently on 867km, they’d need to lead 25 laps to join the club. Meanwhile, if Mercedes lead 48 laps they’ll be the first team to have led 2000km of the Chinese Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton is the only driver to have taken more than one fastest lap at the circuit. Kimi Raikkonen, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Hulkenberg and Daniel Ricciardo could all end that statistic this weekend, while Hamilton could take his fifth fastest lap at the track. McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes could take the outright record of the team with the most fastest laps here; all are currently all tied with three apiece.
Lewis Hamilton will be first driver to have led 300 laps of the Chinese Grand Prix if he leads 51 laps of Sunday’s race. Sebastian Vettel can become the fourth driver to have led 100 laps here – if he leads eight laps of the race. For the teams, if Red Bull lead twelve laps they’ll become the fourth team to have led 100 laps of the Chinese Grand Prix
If neither Lewis Hamilton or Sebastian Vettel take pole, this will mark the first time a different driver has started from pole for the Chinese Grand Prix in four consecutive seasons.
Kimi Raikkonen is one point away from joining the club of drivers who’ve scored over 100 points at the Chinese Grand Prix. If he finishes tenth or higher on Sunday, he’ll join Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg and Fernando Alonso as the fifth driver to have scored over a century of points at the track.