Shanghai returns to the F1 calendar after a five-year absence. The Chinese organizers have completed the work to reduce the bumps on the asphalt in view of the Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for next week.
Ground effect single-seaters, very sensitive to heights from the ground to generate aerodynamic load, are affected by any bumps on the road surface. In Shanghai the surface of the track is very corrugated, because the facility was built on marshy ground and therefore the ground movements are normal.
Following an inspection of the track carried out by the FIA at the end of last year, Shanghai asked the company of Herman Tilke, the architect who designed the track, to identify the most problematic areas of the track in order to intervene to reduce the negative effects of the problem.
The Shanghai asphalt, therefore, underwent a series of interventions that included precision milling, shot peening and sealing using a combination of 3D digital technology and machine tools.
The fifth round of the F1 calendar is effectively treated as if it were a new event, since past data is not at all comparable with today. What makes the teams' task even more difficult is the fact that China is offering the first Sprint in the format which has been revised again with the qualifying race on Friday afternoon, after just one free practice session. The Sprint will take place on Saturday morning and qualifying will take place in the afternoon after the parc fermé has reopened to allow the technicians to work on the cars.
Simone Berra, chief engineer of Pirelli Formula 1, explained that Shanghai has many unknowns…
“It's like going to a new circuit, honestly – said Berra when Motorsport.com asked him about returning to China – compared to 2019 we have new cars, new tires, and 18-inch wheels”.
“The track wasn't used for five years, because at most there was one race a year. And we will only understand from pre-event measurements on the asphalt how it actually changed. In the past the bottom was quite rough in terms of both micro and macro roughness. We need to understand how the track has aged in recent years. So it will be a good challenge for us, but above all for the teams.”
Shanghai officials are also working on new spectator stands (expected to sell out) although some areas will not be ready in time for this year's race.
#Shanghai #asphalt #shot #blasted #remove #dangerous #bumps
