2006 Chinese Grand Prix

Infobox Grand Prix race report
Type = F1
Country = China
Grand Prix = Chinese
Date = October 1
Year = 2006


Caption = The Shanghai International Circuit
Race_No = 16
Season_No = 18
Official name = III Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix
Location = Shanghai International Circuit
Shanghai, People's Republic of China
Course = Permanent Racing Facility
Course_mi = 3.387
Course_km = 5.451
Distance_laps = 56
Distance_mi = 189.559
Distance_km = 305.066
Weather = Cloudy, wet track that progressively dried up.
Rainy during the last few laps.
Pole_Driver = Fernando Alonso
Pole_Country = Spain
Pole_Team = Renault
Pole_Time = 1:44.360
Fast_Driver = Fernando Alonso
Fast_Team = Renault
Fast_Time = 1:37.586
Fast_L

Fast_Country = Spain
First_Driver = Michael Schumacher
First_Country = Germany
First_Team = Ferrari
Second_Driver = Fernando Alonso
Second_Country = Spain
Second_Team = Renault
Third_Driver = Giancarlo Fisichella
Third_Country = Italy
Third_Team = RenaultThe 2006 Chinese Grand Prix was the sixteenth race of the 2006 Formula One season. It was held on 29 September–1 October at Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai. It was won by Michael Schumacher, driving a Ferrari, which was to be his last ever Formula 1 victory.

Pre-race

Renault were very confident about their chances in the Grand Prix, they claimed that Michael Schumacher's previous two races in Shanghai were "poor". Schumacher did admit that he had bad form in China, but said that he expected it "to be better this time around." [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5377180.stm "Schumi has China flaw - Renault"] BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 September]

Following back-to-back wins in Turkey and on home soil, Ferrari certainly had the momentum coming into the Grand Prix, the Italian team were also ahead of Renault by 3 points in the constructors championship and Michael Schumacher was 2 points behind Fernando Alonso in the Drivers' Championship.

Following Lewis Hamilton's GP2 victory in Monza and an encouraging test session with McLaren, the Woking based team were rumoured to give the young British driver his debut in favour of Pedro de la Rosa, who had been performing well after replacing Juan Pablo Montoya. However, McLaren announced that de la Rosa would be racing in China. [" [http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/060925144531.shtml "No Chinese debut for Lewis Hamilton "] F1-Live.com. Retrieved 25 September 2006] McLaren's other driver, Kimi Räikkönen, was aiming to win the weekends Grand Prix following signs of speed in his previous Grand Prix. [ [http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/060926165443.shtml "Raikkonen chasing his first win of the year"] . F1-Live.com. Retrieved 26 September 2006]

Williams announced that they were using a revised FW28, the Williams-Cosworth FW28A. The car features a new aerodynamic package developed by Alexander Wurz and Narain Karthikeyan. The test team also carried out the first track test of the Toyota-powered interim Williams FW28B. The car itself completed 745 kilometres and the team only experienced minor problems. [ [http://f1.racing-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/060925134630.shtml "Aiming to get back in the points with updated FW28"] F1-Live.com. Retrieved 25 September 2006]

Following some impressive performances at Turkey and Italy, BMW Sauber's 19-year old test driver, Sebastian Vettel, has agreed to see out the rest of the year with the German team. The young German driver had a busy schedule, as he is also competing in the Formula 3 Euroseries. [ [http://www.formula1.com/news/4993.html "Vettel to see out 2006 with BMW"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 25 September 2006]

With the dismissal of Christian Klien, Red Bull announced that Robert Doornbos will replace him for the final 3 Grands Prix. Replacing Doornbos' role as the third driver was GP2 driver Michael Ammermüller. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5006/767.html "Red Bull drive for Ammermüller"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 26 September 2006]

Toro Rosso announced during the week leading up to the Grand Prix, that they had signed Alex Hitzinger as their new technical director to replace Gabriele Tredozi. Hitzinger will begin his role in November 2006. [ [http://www.formula1.com/news/5007.html "New technical director for Toro Rosso"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 26 September 2006]

Spyker Midland F1 announced their first driver for 2007 during the weekend, which was Dutch driver Christijan Albers. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5027/767.html "Albers secures 2007 Spyker deal"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 29 September 2006]

Super Aguri's Takuma Sato didn't have a good start to the weekend as he was demoted ten places on the grid as his team changed the Honda engine in his car. Sato had been due to continue using the Honda V8 he ran at the last round in Italy, but the discovery of a problem, which hasn't been disclosed by Super Aguri, has prompted the team to replace the engine ahead of the Friday first practice session. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5021/767.html "Sato hit by Shanghai grid penalty"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 29 September 2006]

Friday practice

Alexander Wurz was fastest in the first Friday practice session in the Williams-Cosworth, 0.004 seconds faster than BMW Sauber's third driver, Sebastien Vettel and Jenson Button completed the top three, over six tenths slower then Wurz. Michael Schumacher, Neel Jani and Alexandre Prémat completed the top six; all within 0.07 seconds of each other. While Schumacher's championship rival, Fernando Alonso, didn't set a time along with his team mate, Giancarlo Fisichella. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/result/767/9.html "Official Friday Practice 1 times"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 29 September 2006]

Wurz and Vettel were fastest again in the second session, Wurz was fastest with a 1:35.539, around 0.03 seconds faster than he was in the first session and 0.05 seconds faster than Vettel with Honda's Anthony Davidson completing the top three positions. The Austrian was very happy with his time, specially since this was his first time in Shanghai, "It was a good day today and driving was a lot of fun out there. I have never driven this circuit, and I attacked it right from the beginning" he said. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5030/767.html "Friday practice - selected driver quotes"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 29 September 2006] Championship rivals, Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, were within a tenth of a second of each other in fifth and sixth repectivley. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/result/767/10.html "Fri prac - results, sector times, speed trap"] Formula1.com. Retrieved 29 September 2006] Felipe Massa dropped ten places from the grid after his engine gave way during the session. [ [http://www.formula1.com/race/news/5029/767.html "Massa to drop ten places on China grid"] Formula1.com. Retrieved September 29, 2006]

Friday Drivers

* * Takuma Sato was disqualified from 14th for ignoring blue flags.cite web|url=http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=131645|title=Sato disqualified, Albers punished|date=October 1, 2006]
* † Christijan Albers had 25 seconds added to his final race time for also ignoring blue flags.

Notes

* Fastest L
Fernando Alonso: 1:37.586
* Last win: Michael Schumacher

tandings after the race

Note, only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.;Drivers' Championship standings;Constructors' Championship standings

External links

* [http://www.manipef1.com/results/2006/china.php Detailed Chinese Grand Prix results]
* [http://www.trackpedia.com/wiki/Shanghai_Circuit Trackpedia guide to driving the Shanghai Circuit]

F1 race report
Name_of_race = Chinese Grand Prix
Year_of_race = 2006
Previous_race_in_season = 2006 Italian Grand Prix
Next_race_in_season = 2006 Japanese Grand Prix
Previous_year's_race = 2005 Chinese Grand Prix
Next_year's_race = 2007 Chinese Grand Prix

References