Chinese GP preview

It was once the sport's brave new world, but Formula 1 registers its tenth visit to China this weekend as what is already proving to be a compelling 2013 season resumes.

FORM GUIDE
There may have been nine previous editions of the Chinese GP but there has to this date been only one repeat winner - Lewis Hamilton. While the prominent memory of the Briton in Shanghai remains his helpless slide into a gravel trap on the entry to the pitlane during his rookie year of 2007, the now Mercedes man has claimed two victories at the circuit in the intervening six years - and memorably so on both occasions. But until his second victory in 2011, when he surged back through the field after making an additional pitstop, seven different drivers had won the first seven Chinese GPs, with Nico Rosberg joining the one-time winners' club last season. From a constructors' point of view, Shanghai has proved a happy hunting ground for both Ferrari and McLaren - with three victories for the F1 luminaries apiece - but Red Bull's solitary victory here remains their very first in F1, back in the torrential rain with Sebastian Vettel in 2009. 2012 result: 1. Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 2. Jenson Button (McLaren); 3. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren); 4. Mark Webber (Red Bull); 5. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 6. Romain Grosjean (Lotus); 7. Bruno Senna (Williams); 8. Pastor Maldonado (Williams); 9. Fernando Alonso (Ferrari); 10. Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber). Last five winners: 2012: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes); 2011: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren); 2010: Jenson Button (McLaren); 2009: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull); 2008: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren). TYRE ALLOCATION
For the second year in succession Pirelli have opted for the soft and medium compound tyres for this weekend's race. Explaining their decision prior to the start of the season, the Italian firm explained that the selection represented "the best choice for the comparatively high degradation expected as a result of the demanding track layout, which leads to close racing." Although the 5.5km track doesn't contain the kind of high-speed corners found at Sepang, the generally cool conditions that traditional accompany the April date mean tyre degradation is invariably a concern. The last two years have witnessed strategic battles between drivers on two and three pitstops. SHANGHAI ODDS
For the third straight race weekend in 2013, World Champion Sebastian Vettel starts as Sky Bet's clear favourite for both pole position (11/10) and race victory (15/8) in Shanghai, with Fernando Alonso second favourite to hit back from his Sepang DNF with his first victory of the season (7/2.) Nico Rosberg, meanwhile, is 12/1 to repeat his success from 12 months ago for Mercedes. Here are some further selected Sky Bet odds for the weekend:
Pole position - Lewis Hamilton (6/1).
Race Winner - Jenson Button(20/1).
Winning team - Ferrari (11/4).
First Retirement - Esteban Gutierrez (11/1).
Number of first-lap retirements - Exactly Three (9/1).
Race Winning Margin - Under six seconds (5/6).