Neither the F1 teams nor tyre supplier Pirelli were informed by the FIA about the painted surface treatment of the asphalt at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The Chinese GP has returned to the calendar this year, which came as a pleasant surprise to many of us. Upon their arrival at the Shanghai International Circuit, the F1 teams and Pirelli were taken aback by the visibly different track surface they encountered on Wednesday.
At first glance, the drivers thought the track had been painted, but in reality, it was a surface treatment with liquid bitumen designed to reduce the degradation of the old asphalt. This change not only altered the appearance of the track but also had an impact on the grip level.
Despite limited track activity at the Shanghai circuit, the bitumen treatment has already worn away in certain areas, leading to a decrease in grip levels. Surprisingly, the FIA failed to notify the teams and Pirelli of this material change in advance, as it was not mentioned in the documents sent out prior to the race.
In addition to the lack of communication from the FIA, Pirelli usually dispatches engineers to the track ahead of an F1 weekend to gather updated information on track conditions. However, this standard procedure was not followed this time due to the unavailability of Pirelli staff.
Simone Berra, chief engineer at Pirelli, expressed his surprise at the situation, stating, “We didn’t get any indication, so we were also surprised. We noticed it on Wednesday during the usual track inspection, and it was quite clear that this surface was completely different from the old one.”
F1 race director Niels Wittich later admitted that he was aware of the surface treatment but did not deem it necessary to inform the teams. According to Wittich, the change did not affect the track’s performance level.
When asked about the communication breakdown, Berra suggested directing the inquiry to the FIA, stating, “I think you should ask the FIA, but it is not a track change that needs to be re-approved or controlled by the FIA.”
Despite the initial surprise and confusion, the grip levels on the track improved after a few laps during the only practice session of the weekend, leading to a relatively normal session.
The issue with the surface treatment is expected to be resolved by 2025, as the circuit plans to undergo a complete resurfacing this summer in preparation for next year’s race.
Written by Vincent Bogaerts