China

China isn't a country - it's a different world.

Unless you have a couple of years and unlimited patience, it's best to follow a loose itinerary here, such as following the Silk Road, sailing down the Yangzi River, or exploring the Dr Seuss landscape of Guangxi Province.

- Read more destination guides with Lonely Planet

Date: 4 May 2008
Venue: Shanghai International
Track length: 5281m
Laps: 22
Race length: 116.182km
2007 winner: Casey Stoner (Ducati)

The shanghai International circuit hosted the first Chinese F1 Grand Prix in 2004 and was quickly followed by the MotoGP version the following year. Built on former swampland, the venue is one of the longest circuits on the MotoGP calendar but also one of the shortest races. The main features of this very modern circuit are the two extremely fast straights, the longest of which (the home straight) is 1202m and where riders pick up the fastest speeds of the race before they reach a sharp right-hander and nearly turn full circle.

MotoGP 2008 racing calendar