Start shots: Chinese Grand Prix

China’s unique first corner nearly completes a full 360 degrees before looping back on itself.

Cunning drivers have used this to their advantage by running around the outside of their rivals to gain places – but sometimes that strategy has ended in tears.

The even more radical ‘set off before the lights change’ approach is only successful up to a point, as Fernando Alonso discovered in 2010.

2004

When China first appeared on the F1 calendar in 2004 the grand prix was held near the end of the season. The inaugural Shanghai race was the 16th round of 18, but both championships had been won a month earlier in a season dominated by Ferrari.

The new track caught newly-crowned seven-times champion Michael Schumacher out in qualifying, however, and he started from the pits after spinning. That left the other Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello to take a straightforward victory from pole position.

2005

The following year the Shanghai circuit brought the curtain down on the season. Again the drivers’ title had already been won – by Fernando Alonso – and in the final race front row occupants Renault sealed the teams’ title. They were chased hard by McLaren, but the silver team’s chances were derailed when a loose drain cover (not the first such problem on the $325 million circuit) damaged Juan Pablo Montoya’s car.

• 2005 Chinese Grand Prix: Renault claim constructors’ championship

2006

It was a front row lock-out for Renault again in 2006, but they did not get the result they wanted in the race. Alonso made a great start on a slippery track but Schumacher, sixth on the grid, closed in when conditions dried later in the race. The Ferrari driver jumped ahead to take his 91st and final victory, which also tied him with Alonso at the top of the points table with two races remaining.

The star of the start was Kimi Raikkonen, who went around the outside of Rubens Barrichello at turn one and briefly passed the other Honda of Jenson Button too.

• 2006 Chinese Grand Prix: Schumacher win puts title leaders level on points

2007

Wet conditions again in 2007, and when Lewis Hamilton streaked away from pole position he seemed on course to clinch the world championship in his rookie season. A pit-lane slip-up put paid to those hopes, however.

Alonso went around the outside of Massa at turn one but lost the position a few corners later. Ralf Schumacher, who started sixth, was left pointing the wrong way.

• 2007 Chinese Grand Prix: Raikkonen win blows title race open

2008

Shanghai was a happier place for Hamilton the following year as a crushing win put him on course to wrap up the title at the season finale. While he left the Ferraris behind on the first lap team mate Heikki Kovalainen struggled in vain to contain Alonso’s Renault, and a first corner tangle saw Jarno Trulli and Sebastien Bourdais spin out.

• 2008 Chinese Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton on cusp of title after dominant win

2009

China’s round of the world championship moved to the beginning of the season in 2009, and on a drenched track the race started behind the Safety Car. Sebastian Vettel led Alonso to turn one, but the Renault driver was light on fuel at the start which ultimately allowed Mark Webber into second place to complete Red Bull’s first of many one-twos.

• 2009 Chinese Grand Prix: Vettel leads Webber in Red Bull one-two

2010

Alonso beat the Red Bulls to turn one in 2010 – but not legitimately. The Ferrari driver had jumped the start, and a penalty dropped him back into the pack. When the cars reached turn four Vitantonio Liuzzi lost control of his Force India under braking and took himself out of the race along with Kamui Kobayashi and Sebastien Buemi.

Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button – fourth and fifth at turn one – made an astute gamble by staying out of the pits when rain began to fall a few minutes after the start, and Button later passed the Mercedes to win.

• 2010 Chinese Grand Prix: Button leads McLaren to one-two in wet race

2011

Vettel’s pole position advantage proved short-lived in 2011: despite a to-the-letter-of-the-law tough defence, both McLaren drivers beat him to turn one. Hamilton took the win while Webber – not visible in the picture above because he started on the ninth row – recovered to third.

• 2011 Chinese Grand Prix: Hamilton beats Vettel to victory

2012

It was an all-Mercedes front row in 2012 for Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. They kept their places at the start but Kobayashi, who lined up third, was passed on either side by Button and Raikkonen.

Rosberg went on to claim his first win while the Red Bulls of Webber and Vettel, largely obscured in the picture above, climbed to fourth and fifth.

• 2012 Chinese Grand Prix: Rosberg races to emphatic first win in China

2013

A slow start from the front row by Raikkonen left Hamilton unopposed on the run to turn one in 2013. The Ferraris followed him and a few laps later overtook the Mercedes, Alonso going on to take the win.

• 2013 Chinese Grand Prix: Alonso wins race of champions

2014

The two Williams drivers were fortunate to make it through turn one unscathed last year. Massa made a lightning start from sixth but banged wheels with Alonso and slipped back. Then Valtteri Bottas made contact with Rosberg, who got away slowly following a telemetry problem. The latter recovered to finish second behind Hamilton.

• 2014 Chinese Grand Prix: Hamilton cruises to third win as Rosberg recovers for another Mercedes one-two

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