The FIA Grade 1 Shanghai International Circuit is a purpose-built road course paved over a marshland to host the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix since its inception in 2004. The layout of the track, a Hermann Tilke design, resembles the Chinese character Shang (上), which means "to ascend" and happens to be the first one in the city's name. The technical mastery required to get the most out of the circuit is considerable, as the placement of its curves and acceleration sectors makes it difficult to maneuver correctly. It was the most expensive raceway in Formula 1 until the opening of Yas Marina in Abu Dhabi.

The 3.39-mile (5.45-km) Shanghai International Circuit starts in the front straightaway, right before one of the circuit trademark features: a right-hander 270-degree turn combination followed by a similar left-hander going downhill. This spiral-shaped segment feels like a never-ending corner and, for many, is the most highly technical turn in the Formula 1 calendar. After this point, racers go heavy on the gas pedal until a tight right turn at six. A fast-paced snaking stretch from turns six to ten ends in a short straight, taking drivers to the north. Three more corners get the racers into the 1.2-km (0.74-mile) long straightaway, where high-performance cars get to an impressive 270 km/h (167 mph). Corner 14 is the heaviest braking sector of Formula 1, with a 220 km/h (136 mph) decrease followed by another speed-boosting sector. The 90-degree turn 16 is the last in Shanghai, leading racers into the final stretch.