F1 people dodging Twitter ban in China

F1's new obsession with Twitter might have to take a backseat role in China this weekend.

Particularly over the pre-season period, many F1 figures - including drivers, bosses, team PR departments, media members and insiders - tapped into the power and popularity of the growing microblogging phenomenon.

But the Chinese government has banned and blocked many forms of social media on the internet, extending to Twitter in late 2009.

However, it seems there are ways to dodge China's Twitter ban. Having expressing dismay at the ban, HRT driver Karun Chandhok was greeted at Shanghai airport this week by three "very sweet fans" who told him the tricks.

Also on Wednesday, McLaren, Mike Gascoyne, Mark Webber, Heikki Kovalainen and several journalists have been Tweeting from Shanghai.

It is not clear if or how China's estimated 30,000 internet police will react to the violations of the internet censorship laws.

The operator of Virgin's official Twitter account said: "We'll probably just go low-key for China (in 2010) and then look at a proper solution for next year."