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7 months ago
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A bizarre trackside fire brought an unexpected halt to the first practice session ahead of this weekend’s Chinese Grand Prix.
Flames began to rise from a small patch of grass near turn seven only 15 minutes into the session, causing a red flag to be shown.
Though a nearby marshal rushed to the scene to put out the fire before it had a chance to take hold, there was still visible damage left on the grass when the action resumed a short while later.
The delay was far from ideal preparation for teams and drivers in what was their only free practice session for this weekend’s race in Shanghai, which sees the return of the sprint race for the first time in 2024.
This is also the first time Formula One has visited this track since 2019, owing to stringent Covid-19 restrictions in the country, meaning drivers were keen to complete as many laps as possible to re-familiarise themselves with the Shanghai International Circuit.
Practice at the Chinese GP had to be halted on Friday morning after a trackside fire appeared
The session was red flagged as martials looked to put out the flames beside the track
Aston Martin's Lance Stroll was the surprise name at the top of the leaderboard in the sole practice session for this weekend's Chinese Grand Prix
It is not yet known what caused the fire but it was somewhat of a surprise given the volume of rain which fell relentlessly at the circuit on Wednesday.
There was another surprise in store for the session with Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll finishing top of the timesheets.
Championship leader Max Verstappen was third-fastest ahead of today’s sprint race qualifying session, which begins at 8.30am BST.
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