Add Up Articles Directory | Free Articals | New Articles Daily | The Stage is Set for Sunday's Chinese GP

With only 2 races into the season, the all too familiar controversies surrounding the sport of formula one has already emerged. This is not necessarily a bad thing as these are what bring the excitement to the game. The curtain has been raised and China is the next destination. Already, this race has all the makings of a classic; one for the books.

Split-Level Diffusers Given the Green Light
The FIA today announced that complaints from Ferrari, Red Bull, Renault, and BMW-Sauber do not have enough bearing and that no violations were made by Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams. The "double-decker" rear diffusers used by the said teams have received much criticism as some consider the move as unsportsmanlike. A few critics say that these teams are taking advantage of gray areas in the sport's newly revised rules and regulations. Whatever the case may be, a certainty is that this move is definitely effective. These new additions have literally turned the table upside-down as Brawn GP and Toyota currently occupy the top two spots in the constructors table with 25 points and 16.5 points, respectively. Current Champions Ferrari presently lie at the bottom of the table with 0 points while top contender McLaren only have a single point from 2 races. Teams have recently announce that they will be forced to come up with something similar to the diffusers used by Brawn so as to be able to compete at the same level.

The Favourites
After their controversial diffuser has been deemed legal by the FIA, Brawn GP are looking good for yet another win. Their drivers are on top of the standings after placing podium finishes in both the Australian and the Malaysian Grand Prix, which was cut short after 32 laps because of adverse weather conditions. Half points were given at the said Grand Prix because of the fact that the race was not able to finish the required distance of at least 75 percent. It was in 1991 when this last happened; the race ended after only 14 laps because of heavy rain.

British driver Jenson Button is on top of the world with 15 points while his Brazilian teammate Rubens Barrichello is a close second with 10 points. After taking over Honda's operations in the F1 grid, Brawn has won the first 2 races of the season. The last time this happened was way back when the championship was started in 1950 when Alfa Romeo also completed a similar double.

The Course
The race will be held at the Shanghai International Circuit which has a lap distance of 5.451 kilometres or 3.387 miles. The race will run for 56 laps for a total distance of 305.66 kilometres or 189.568 miles. The fastest recorded lap was set by the legendary Michael Schumacher in 2004 at 1 minute and 32.238 seconds. Last year it was eventual champion Lewis Hamilton who took pole position en route to finishing first place in the race. Other past winners include Kimi Raikkonen in 2007, Michael Schumacher in 2006, Fernando Alonso in 2005, and Rubens Barrichello in 2004.