The Chinese Grand Prix has been good for us, and we’ve finished in the points at every race held at the Shanghai International Circuit. Not only that, we’ve been on the podium at five out of the seven races and this year Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button will be hoping to add to that success.
At the inaugural race in 2004 Kimi Raikkonen finished third, and a year later went one better with second place. Fernando Alonso, driving for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, came second in 2007, and a year later we got our first win in China with Lewis starting from pole and finishing 15 seconds clear of Felipe Massa’s Ferrari. That gave Lewis a seven-point lead in the 2008 world championship battle, which he went on to win in thrilling style at the next and final race in Brazil.
The 2010 race saw Lewis and Jenson get the team’s best-ever result at the Shanghai circuit. With Jenson starting fifth and Lewis sixth on the grid, they battled through changeable weather and a safety car period to take a brilliant one-two for the team, Jenson taking the chequered flag just 1.5 seconds ahead of his team-mate.
Here’s hoping for more of the same this weekend! Join us live on McLaren.com for race commentary, telemetry from the cars, team radio chatter and more. Now also available on mobile.
* Official photos and details courtesy of VODAFONE MCLAREN MERCEDES *
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