Formula 1 enthusiasts and teams were unexpectedly perplexed when they scrutinized the revamp work on Shanghai's race track, which had been on a hiatus for four years due to the covid pandemic.
Prior to the teams' arrival in China, there had been circulating reports about the track being resurfaced, along with other whispers that only particular areas had undergone repairs to address some severe unevenness.
'The track appears to have been painted rather than resurfaced,' triple world champion Max Verstappen observed. 'I don't know what this will mean for grip.'
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was at a loss for words over the observations he made, noting it was 'something strange.'
Moreover, it seemed that only selected portions of the track had been treated with a peculiar rubbery, liquid bitumen type of coating. This unusual layer obscured the normally visible fine stones and helped to even out the bumps.
Both Pirelli, the exclusive tyre provider for F1, and the FIA were taken aback by this odd choice of surface modification, which hadn't been noted in the FIA's pre-race technical summary.
'Maybe it's actually completely fine, so we'll find out,' Leclerc mentioned optimistically.
Subsequently, a spokesperson for the FIA informed reporters upon inquiry that the substance applied in some areas was intended to 'preserve the asphalt and ensure the stones remain in place.'
The FIA representative also stated that this method was 'expected to increase grip.'
Due to its inactivity during the pandemic, the Shanghai circuit had lost its Grade 1 license required by Formula 1, prompting further repairs to certain barriers and other infrastructure elements.
