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Chinese Grand Prix Preview

Oct 6, 2007 - 10:37 AM

October 7, 2007 
Shanghai International Circuit 
Shanghai, China

Race 16 of 17 in Grand Prix Series

Laps: 56 
Track length: 3.27 miles 
Race length: 183.15 miles

Lap Record: Michael Schumacher, 1:32.238 (2004)


DRIVERS TO WATCH
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Fernando Alonso (Spain)
Team: McLaren 
2007 Points: 95 (2nd)

Retired after just two laps at Japan after an accident and now
trails rookie teammate and series leader Lewis Hamilton, who won
the race, by 12 points; finished third at Belgium and won the
Italian Grand Prix; finished third at the Turkish Grand Prix and
ran fourth in Hungary prior to that; won the Grand Prix of
Europe to also climb within two points of Hamilton on July 22;
has finished in the top five in 12 of 15 starts this season;
finished seventh at both the French and Canadian Grands Prix;
placed second at the Santander British Grand Prix and was
runner-up to Hamilton at Indianapolis; won at Monaco and ran
third at hometown Spanish Grand Prix; stormed to an easy victory
at Malaysia and registered a second-place finish in his McLaren
debut at Australia, finishing 7.2 seconds behind Kimi
Raikkonen; finished second to Michael Schumacher at this race
last season.


Lewis Hamilton (Britain)
Team: McLaren 
2007 Points: 107 (1st)

The points leader was won last week at Japan and now leads
teammate Alonso by 12 points with two races left; ran fourth at
Belgium and ran second to Alonso at Italy; finished fifth in
Turkey two weeks after winning the Hungarian Grand Prix;
finished ninth at the Grand Prix of Europe; took third in
back-to-back races at the British Grand Prix and Magny-Cours
after making history at Canada where he became the first black
driver to win a Formula One race; followed that victory in
Canada by winning the United States Grand Prix; placed second in
four consecutive races prior to his back-to-back wins; rookie
sensation has burst onto the circuit by storm, running third at
Australia and placing second at Malaysia, Bahrain, Spain and
Monaco; finished 18 seconds behind Alonso at Malaysia and is the
first rookie in series history since 1964 to capture podium
finishes in his first three races; also is the first black
driver in series history; has finished among the top five in all
but one start this year.


Nick Heidfeld (Germany)
Team: BMW Sauber 
2007 Points: 56 (5th)

Ran 14th at Japan a week after taking fifth at Belgium and
remains fifth in the standings; prior to Belgium had consecutive
fourth-place finishes at Italy and Turkey; was third in Hungary
following consecutive sixth-place finishes over the previous
two races; still seeking first win of the season; opened the
year with three consecutive fourth place finishes at Australia,
Malaysia and Bahrain; had best race of the season at Canada
where he finished second; forced to retire at Spain and the
United States Grand Prix; has nine top-five finishes in 15
starts this year; ran seventh at this race last season.


Felipe Massa (Brazil)
Team: Ferrari 
2007 Points: 80 (4th)

Finished sixth at Japan, three spots behind teammate Kimi
Raikkonen and now trails his Ferrari teammate by 10 points for
third place; ran second to Raikkonen at Belgium; retired from
the Italian Grand Prix with suspension problems, dropping to
fourth place in the standings; bounced back from a 13th-place
finish at Hungary by winning in Turkey; posted a runner-up
finish at the Grand Prix of Europe after slipping to fourth
place following a fifth place finish British Grand Prix; was
runner-up to Raikkonen at Magny-Cours; also was black-flagged at
Canada; ran third at Indianapolis and Monaco after capturing
two straight checkered flags at Bahrain and Spain; finished
fifth at Malaysia; kicked off his campaign with a sixth place at
Australia; has nine top five finishes in 15 starts this season;
retired from this race last year.


Kimi Raikkonen (Finland)
Team: Ferrari 
2007 Points: 90 (3rd)

Finished third at Japan, but trails Hamilton by 17 points; won
at Belgium and finished third at Italy to move up to third in
the standings; ran second at Turkey, following a runner-up
finish Hungary; retired from the Grand Prix of Europe after
consecutive checkered flag wins at the British Grand Prix and
Magny-Cours; has four wins and 12 top-five finishes in 15
starts; finished fourth at Indianapolis and fifth at Canada;
struggled to eighth place at Monaco and retired due to
electrical problems at Spain, dropping him from first to fourth
in the standings; had a dazzling debut with new team Ferrari,
capturing the checkered flag in the season opener at Australia;
joined Ferrari after spending the last five years with McLaren;
retired from this race last year with throttle problems.


2006 Top 10
-----------
 1. Michael Schumacher, Germany, Ferrari 
 2. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Renault 
 3. Giancarlo Fisichella, Italy, Renault
 4. Jenson Button, Great Britain, BAR-Honda
 5. Pedro de la Rosa, Spain, McLaren-Mercedes 
 6. Rubens Barrichello, Brazil, Honda 
 7. Nick Heidfeld, Germany, Sauber-BMW 
 8. Mark Webber, Australia, Williams-Cosworth
 9. David Coulthard, Great Britain, RBR-Ferrari
10. Vitantonio Liuzzi, Italy, STR-Cosworth 

Past Champions
--------------
2006  Michael Schumacher, Ferrari
2005  Fernando Alonso, Renault
2004  Rubens Barrichello, Ferrari