text: Albert Park - Australian Grand Prix . Sepang - Malaysian Grand Prix . Shanghai arrived with a bang in Formula One and while races in recent seasons haven't quite had the same excitement seen during its early years, there is enough substance for it to be an intriguing watch on race day. For instance whether the Chinese Grand Prix is held as a potential title decider late on in the year (2004-2008) or as an early opener (2009-present) it can often be hit with outside variables; wet conditions often sprinkling some unpredictability over a weekend. The track layout is also a challenging design. Herman Tilke ensures he gets his long straight and hairpin turn in, but it flows like Malaysia and offers great reward for getting the line through the sequence of fast turns spot on, in the middle of the lap especially. A decent run out on to the back straight is a catalyst for the classic trademark move going into the penultimate corner. Even the pit lanes can be challenging (you'll see if you scroll down) which brings us nicely on to the latest in Sportsmail's series of Grand Prix memories... The Shanghai circuit held the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix in 2004 and has been home to the event ever since. Here is a picture shortly before its first race, with the grandstand and pit straight seen towards the back. It sure seems a long walk from the huge car park... Ricardo Zonta featured late on in the 2004 season, and is pictured in his Toyota during qualifying with the main grandstand in the background. The Brazilian had replaced the sacked Cristiano da Matta but this would be his penultimate race start in Formula One . Having been dropped by BAR for 2004, there was plenty of attention on Jacques Villeneuve when he returned to the F1 grid for the Chinese Grand Prix. In his traditional baggy overalls, the 1997 world champion poses with team boss Flavio Briatore having joined Renault for the final three races of the season following the team's dismissal of Jarno Trulli . The cameras are all on Villenueve as he emerges from the garage for his first Renault run, but the gamble to hire the Canadian backfired as he failed to score a single point for the team who would lose out to BAR in the fight for second in the constructors' championship . What's up, Fernando?! Jaguar's Mark Webber, Toyota's Olivier Panis and BAR's Takuma Sato all take a moment to wave to the Shanghai crowd in 2004, but Alonso looks far from amused with his shades on and a glum looking face to match . Given the dominance of Ferrari at the time, very few would have guessed that Rubens Barrichello's 2004 win would be his last for the team. At least he looks like he is making the most of it as he celebrates with Kimi Raikkonen, with the Finn finishing third behind Jenson Button . In a totally bizarre incident, Michael Schumacher steps out his wreck of a Ferrari which rests on the side of the track. The German collided with Christijan Albers' Minardi while driving out the pit-lane to the grid before the start of the 2005 race - both would compete in a spare car . It's all smiles at Renault as they celebrate clinching the constructors' title in the last race of the 2005 season ahead of McLaren. It capped off a perfect year for the team with Fernando Alonso (centre) becoming world champion and Giancarlo Fisichella (holding trophy aloft) proving a capable rear gunner as they recaptured success not seen since the team's previous incarnation as Benetton in 1995 . The 2005 race in Shanghai also proved to be the end of an era as the popular underdogs Minardi raced for the final time. Team boss Paul Stoddart proudly holds off a pit board showing their record of 340 races since 1985 alongside team staff and drivers Robert Doornbos (left) and Christijan Albers. Thankfully the team remained in the sport and survive to this day in its current guise as Toro Rosso . It wasn't just Minardi departing in 2005 as Jordan would also race for the final time before becoming Force India. But Narain Karthikeyan would only last 28 laps before an accident ended his race. Here, race winner Fernando Alonso zips past in his Renault, with the Indian driver seen in his yellow overalls observing the wreckage on the opposite side of the track . Shanghai in 2006 provided one of its most dramatic races. Fernando Alonso was in control before his decision to pit for scrubbed front intermediate tyres would come back to haunt him. The Spaniard was in a title fight with Michael Schumacher who, in the background, quickly caught the struggling Renault. Gianarclo Fisichella tries to provide a protective barrier to his team-mate, but so slow was Alonso that even the Italian had to pass him - with Schumacher soon following . Schumcaher would also go on to pass Fisichella and claim a very famous victory which saw the title race swing dramatically in the favour of the Ferrari star. The agony and ecstasy from the Renault and Ferrari drivers on the podium tells its own story with Alonso and Fisichella looking devastated and puzzled at how they lost the race . With his Ferrari team right behind him, Schumacher celebrates his unlikely win in parc ferme. The German's record in the Chinese Grand Prix was otherwise poor this race aside, but his famous 2006 victory would be his 91st and final Grand Prix victory in his career . Just when you thought 2006 couldn't be beaten, the following year's grand prix served up one of the pivotal  moments of the 2007 season. Rookie Lewis Hamilton tried to drag a set of beaten up intermediate tyres as long as he could around the circuit and did the hard bit by staying on the road. But when coming to pit in for new rubber, he somehow beached his McLaren in a gravel trap. Here the Brit reacts to a horrendous error with a marshall offering assistance. The right rear tyre shows just how little rubber was left on his tyre as he pitted . In a double blow for Hamilton, it was title rival Kimi Raikkonen who would benefit as the Ferrari star would go on to win the race and eventually the championship later on in the season by just one point. The Finn is shown a board to let him know he is starting his final lap . But Lewis would bounce back in 2008 as he sussed out the correct route to the pit-lane and in doing so found the key to grabbing victory. Here, the McLaren driver celebrates his win with his mother Carmen Lockhart and his step mother Linda Hamilton in parc ferme . Hide and seek Formula One style? No, it's just Nico Rosberg trying to push his Williams out of the tyre barrier following a crash during Saturday practice ahead of the 2009 race . Get out of the spray! As the safety car prepares to come in during 2009, Sebastian Vettel leads the pack in his Red Bull with team-mate Mark Webber, the Brawns of Rubens Barrichello and Jenson Button, and the Toyota of Jarno Trulli seeking a line on the track where they are not blinded by spray on a wet afternoon in Shanghai . Spray would prove no problem for Vettel, who punches the air with delight after securing Red Bull's first ever win in 2009 much to the joy of team members on the pit wall. The race was the first year in which the grand prix was hosted earlier in the season where it remains . Sebastien Buemi suffered a terrifying crash just shy of 200mph during the first practice session ahead of the 2010 event, as flying down the long back straight both of his front wheels simultaneously broke off leaving him without any steering and just rear brakes to stop. Thankfully a large run off area and a gravel trap left him enough room to significantly reduce his speed before he slid along a barrier coming to a safe stop . Two fantastic drivers of their respective generations duel at the hairpin on the back straight, but sadly the best of Michael Schumacher (left) had long since passed as McLaren's Lewis Hamilton prepares to drive round the outside of the Mercedes star in 2010 . But it was Hamilton's team-mate Jenson Button who would claim 2010 victory - with the duo exchanging a warm hand-shake on the podium . Hamilton was shaking more hands a year later but this time it was as the grand prix winner, as Red Bull's Mark Webber, who finished third, greets the McLaren driver in parc ferme after the race. The triumph made Hamilton the first multi-time winner at Shanghai . Nico Rosberg leads the pack out of the first twisty opening section in front of Mercedes team-mate Michael Schumacher as McLaren's Jenson Button follows in third. Rosberg would go on to win the 2012 race which would be his first in his Formula One career . Mercedes team members rush to the pit-wall to greet Rosberg on his victory, which was the first for the team since 1955. Mercedes had only re-entered F1 as a team again in 2010 after taking over from the one-season wonders Brawn - who had previously been Honda . Fernando Alonso leads the celebrations as he holds a Ferrari flag in front of his delighted team following his 2013 win. The Spaniard looked like he could lead a Ferrari title fight following this victory, but he has only won one grand prix since. Can you name where and when it was? (Answer is at the bottom of the page) The story of 2014? The trophies piled up for Mercedes last year and the Shanghai result reflected the story of the championship as Lewis Hamilton kept Nico Rosberg at arm's length to lead home a one-two triumph for the team in the Chinese Grand Prix . 2004: Rubens Barrichello (Ferrari) 2005: Fernando Alonso (Renault) 2006: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 2007: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 2008: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 2009: Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) 2010: Jenson Button (McLaren) 2011: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 2012: Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) 2013: Fernando Alonso (Ferrari) 2014: Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Bold indicates driver still active on Formula One grid . Quiz answer - Where and when was Fernando Alonso's last Grand Prix victory? Catalunya, Spain (2013)
target: Round three of the Formula One season takes place at the Shanghai circuit for the Chinese Grand Prix .
  The Shanghai circuit has held every Chinese Grand Prix dating back to 2004 .
  Lewis Hamilton has the most wins in China with three - two for McLaren and one for Mercedes .
  Fernando Alonso is the only other driver to have triumphed at the track more than once .
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