Mercedes-Benz GP Petronas F1 Chinese Grand Prix Race Facts

In anticipation of the Chinese Grand Prix on April 18th, we've got a detailed look at the track and a variety of other F1 facts

 

15 April 2010 | CDanielson

International motor racing came to China (i.e. the People's Republic of China) first in the mid nineties with races of the BPR Series, a sports car championship.  They staged races on a temporary street circuit in down- town Zhouhai south of Hong Kong.  In 1996, the race moved to a new track outside the city and the organisers hoped for a Formula One Grand Prix in China already at that time, however, the track didn't match the requirements of the FIA.

The Shanghai International Circuit is located in the countryside to the Northeast of Anting Town, Jiading District, Shanghai City.  The whole site covers an area of 2.5 square kilometres with the grandstands offering seats for about 200,000 spectators.  More than 2 million cubic meters of earth material were filled into the area of the auto racetrack and nearly 40,000 batches of pile foundation were laid into the racetrack area for consolidating ground foundation. The steel used in the top of the primary stand reached over 5,000 tons of a total 12,000 tons used for the entire project.  The track which has the shape of the Chinese symbol 'Shang', which translates as 'high' or 'above' was completed within 18 months.

The Shanghai International Circuit is the biggest race track in Asia with a grand stand capacity for about 200,000 spectators.  It cost 240 million US dollars and matches the latest standards.  The track was designed by the leading architect Hermann Tike.

Two years ago, McLaren Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton started from pole position, posted the fastest race lap and won – an important step towards his World Championship title which he clinched two weeks later in Brazil.

Track Records:

• Lap Record – Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1m32.28sec (2004)

• Fastest Lap 2009 – Rubens Barrichello (Brawn Mercedes) 1m52.592sec

• Pole Position 2009 – Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Renault) 1m36.184sec

To learn more about the Chinese Grand Prix, the Shanghai International Circuit, and a variety of other interesting F1 information, we invite you to view the full gallery packed with digital racefacts below (don't forget you can click the images in the gallery to make them easier to read).

READ MORE - Mercedes-Benz GP Petronas F1 Chinese Grand Prix Race Facts

Petronas ‘Keen to Expand’ in Indonesia: Hatta

Malaysian state oil and gas company Petronas plans to expand its investments in Indonesia, including in the upstream sector, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Hatta Rajasa said on Wednesday.

“They expressed a commitment to expand investment in the upstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry,” he told reporters following a meeting with the president of PT Petronas Niaga Indonesia, M. Ibrahimnuddin M. Yunus, and Malaysian Ambassador Zainal Abidin M. Zain.

“When the Energy Ministry opens tenders for new oil and gas areas, we’ll push [Petronas] to participate,” Hatta said.

He explained that the government wants to encourage firms like Petronas to look for new oil reserves in remote areas because of declining production in the country’s existing, mature fields.

He did not provide details. Yunus could not be immediately reached for comment.

The Energy Ministry announced on Monday plans to open tenders for 35 oil and gas blocks this year, most of them in eastern Indonesia.

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati warned earlier this month of a likely shortfall in the country’s oil production this year due to aging wells.

Efforts to lure investors into new oil and gas areas have been relatively unsuccessful. A tender for new oil and gas working areas last year was widely shunned because of uncertainty over cost recovery for oil and gas projects. Only five of the 16 blocks offered by the government in December attracted successful offers.

The government is planning to issue a new regulation on cost recovery in the oil and gas sector, which some said would put a cap on the expenses that can be claimed back by oil and gas contractors from the government.

In December last year, Petronas won the rights to distribute subsidized fuel in Medan, North Sumatra, ending the monopoly of state-owned PT Pertamina. The Malaysian company began distributing non-subsidized products here in December of 2005 and now operates 19 gas stations in Greater Jakarta, Bandung and Medan. The company reportedly expects to have up to three more gas stations by 2011.

However Petronas is less aggressive in the Indonesian upstream oil and gas sector. Out of the six oil and gas blocks it owns, two will reportedly be relinquished to the government because they lack prospects. They are the Karapan block in East Java and the Northeast Madura offshore block.

The remaining four blocks are still in the exploration stage with the Ketapang offshore block in East Java likely to start production in the near future.

(Sources : http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/petronas-keen-to-expand-in-indonesia-hatta/368155)

READ MORE - Petronas ‘Keen to Expand’ in Indonesia: Hatta

Mercedes confident Michael Schumacher will shine

Rosberg has out-qualified and beaten Schumacher in each of the first three races


Michael Schumacher's Formula 1 rivals would be "foolish" to write off the seven-time world champion, Mercedes GP chief Nick Fry has warned.

Fry is convinced Mercedes can build on Nico Rosberg's third-place finish in Malaysia and expects the German team-mates to challenge for more podiums.

"We've got an extremely strong team and anyone who underestimates us is fairly foolish," Fry told autosport.com.

"Every race Michael is learning a bit more and it is all coming together."

Schumacher returned to F1 this season after a three-year break but has only collected nine points from the opening three grands prix and is trailing leader Felipe Massa by 30 points.

And 41-year-old Schumacher, who suffered the team's first retirement in Malaysia after losing a wheel nut, has also been out-qualified and beaten in each of the three races by Rosberg.

But despite being slightly off the pace in the early grands prix, Fry hailed the impact his veteran driver has had on the team.

"Michael is, for me, quite remarkable," said Fry.

The level of feedback he gives is something that I have never seen before, and is just not in the debriefs.

"When you have the headphones on you hear amazing things. In qualifying he was driving around almost giving a commentary.

"He has taken the disappointment of what happened in Malaysia very well.

Schumacher has no doubts over F1 return

"He has taken away the positives again. I would not underestimate him."

The Mercedes team has so far struggled for pace in comparison to Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari, each of whom has a win under their belt.

However, Rosberg's finish in Malaysia was the team's first podium after three races in 2010.

And Fry is adamant the team, which won six of the first seven races in its guise as Brawn GP last season, will be competitive.

"We've got excellent people. I would say we still have the best technical leader in Ross [Brawn], we have the best manufacturer and engine provider in F1, and we have two phenomenal drivers," explained Fry.

"All of that means that we are going to be strong, and we have the tools in terms of the money to do a very good job.

"I am very optimistic. We will be strong this year. Whether we can win it, who knows, but I think we will be there or thereabout."

READ MORE - Mercedes confident Michael Schumacher will shine

Rosberg: It's a great feeling to return to podium

 

By Adam Leveridge.

Having secured third place in Sunday's Malaysian grand prix, Nico Rosberg said it is a great feeling to be back on the podium again, after a 22-races without success.


In the home race for Mercedes' title sponsor, oil firm Petronas, Rosberg drove cleanly and consistently to finish behind the Red Bull pairing, who secured their first one-two of the 2010 season.

Swift work from the Mercedes pit-crew got the young German out ahead of Robert Kubica in the Renault, who pulled off another surprising performance to finish fourth.

After the race, Rosberg indicated that third place was Mercedes' limit in Malaysia, as he said it was just a case of managing his pace throughout the grand prix, knowing the Red Bulls had a quicker package.

"Its a fantastic result today to achieve our teams first podium," said Rosberg.

"It's a great feeling to be back up on the podium again and to have so much support from the Malaysian fans here.

"My start didn't go that well today as I had a bit too much wheelspin and once I was in third place, I knew it would be difficult to follow the leading cars.

"I struggled a little with the options in the first stint which allowed Robert [Kubica] to stay quite close but once we switched to the primes, I felt really comfortable and we could manage the race home to third place.

"This is a great end to a strong weekend for us.
"We're not quite where we want to be yet so we need to push on but I'm confident that well get there soon."

The result means Rosberg finished ahead of his vastly more experienced team-mate Michael Schumacher, who retired from the Malaysian grand prix when he suffered a problem with his left-rear wheel.

Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn praised Rosberg's effort in Malaysia, but was disappointed Schumacher missed out on a points again, this time, because of an unprecedented and unpreventable fault.

"That was an excellent drive from Nico today and a first-class performance to secure his third career podium and the first podium for the Mercedes GP team," said Brawn.

"We are delighted to have achieved the first podium for the Silver Arrows here in Malaysia and to be able to share the rewards of our hard work with our title partner Petronas at their home grand prix.

"My compliments to Nico for an assured performance today and over the weekend.

"Michael was in a good position after the start and we were looking forward to having a good race on his side but unfortunately it wasn't to be.

"The car lost a wheel nut which is a problem that we haven't experienced before.

"The wheel nuts are double-checked on the grid so we will investigate and put in place the necessary solutions."

READ MORE - Rosberg: It's a great feeling to return to podium