Apr 18, 2024, 10:22 PM ET
The Chinese Grand Prix was a fixture on the agenda Formula 1 since 2004. His presence was perfect until the 2019 financial year and appeared in the 2020 calendar. But the world came to a standstill with the Covi-19 pandemic, the 2020 tournament had to be reorganized, it started in July and barely left Europe to race in Berrain and Abu Dhabi. For 2021, F1 had already recovered its most usual schedule, but Shanghai remained out because the virus, coming from China, was still strong. For 2023, FIA (supervisor) and Liberty Media (commercial owner) decided to incorporate the Chinese event again, but the protocol that the country still had against the disease was removed from the agenda (already prepared). Finally, after five years and four seasons of absence, he has his career back.
Of course, since then, many things have changed, some teams disappeared or were converted, several drivers moved teams or even left the category. If you look at the podium of that historic 2019 edition, the 1000th race of F1, there are two modifications. Lewis Hamilton He was the winner, in times of absolute dominance of the category, with Mercedes, a squad in which he still continues. The rest? Valtteri Bottas was second with the other Silver Arrow (the Finn races today for Sauber) and Sebastian Vettel completed the podium with Ferrari. The German was in his fifth season with the Rossa; Today he is a retiree from the category, although his name has been suggested to get into the Mercedes in 2025.
Max Verstappen finished fourth in that race in China in 2019. The Dutchman was light years away from being the dominant driver he would become and only had five wins in Formula 1. Verstappen had started the season with Pierre Gasly as a partner, but poor results led the Red Bull bosses to put him aside and bring up Alex Albon.
Kimi Räikkönen was still a Formula 1 driver at Alfa Romeo and his partner was Robert Kubica. Today the Italian brand is no longer there and none of the riders are active. Renault had not yet become Alpine and Daniel Ricciardo was one of its riders, with Nico Hülkenberg (today at Haas) alongside him. Carlos Sainz was a McLaren driver and Sergio Pérez ran for Racing Point, a team that would later become Aston Martin (all thanks to billionaire Lawrence Stroll). Daniil Kvyat was racing for Toro Rosso and at that 2019 Chinese GP he was still partnered with Kelly Piquet, Nelson’s daughter, who is currently in a relationship with Verstappen.
Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso was on sabbatical from F1 and was dedicated to racing in the WEC as an official Toyota driver. And it didn’t go badly for him: he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and was world champion. Besides, Romain Grosjean was a Haas driver, today the Frenchman is Agustín Canapino’s teammate in the Juncos Hollinger Racing IndyCar team.
A lot has changed in five years in Formula 1. Finally, China is back on the calendar.
