China is the most important market for car manufacturers. Formula 1 is all the more pleased to be racing in Shanghai again for the first time since the corona pandemic.
Michael Schumacher celebrated the 91st and last of his Grand Prix victories in China on October 1, 2006 in a Ferrari. In 2019, when Formula 1 competed at the Shanghai International Circuit for the last time, friend Sebastian Vettel drove for the Scuderia in third place, Max Verstappen came fourth and was still a long way away from his first world title.
Since then, the premier class of motorsport has been forced to avoid the market, which is the largest in the world for car manufacturers. Mercedes Motorsport Director Toto Wolff described the comeback of Formula 1 this weekend in the country with around 1.4 billion people as an “important moment”. China is a key market.
At the last race in China, Verstappen only had five wins
The 5.451 kilometer long course was built within 18 months starting in April 2003. According to official information, the route in the Jiading district cost the equivalent of around 423 million euros at the time. It was one of the first courses with which then Formula 1 managing director Bernie Ecclestone pushed the expansion course, and China celebrated its racing premiere in 2004. But after a decade and a half there was a break: more precisely, a Corona break. The pandemic and the strict zero-Covid strategy of Chinese politics made a start impossible.
This is another reason why Shanghai is still missing from Verstappen’s national victory map. The last time the state-of-the-art circuit was raced, the Dutchman didn’t even have a world title and had just five victories. He now arrives with three World Cup triumphs and 57 Grand Prix successes and should be aiming for the maximum number of points again this weekend, which also includes the first sprint race of the year.
No Netflix and therefore no “drive to survive” in China
He can also build on full ranks. Because the forced break didn’t dampen the enthusiasm. According to official information, the tickets were sold out within an hour when advance sales started on January 9th – despite prices of up to almost 500 euros. According to Huang Jiezhi, manager of organizer Shanghai Jiushi Smart Sports, there were three times as many people on the waiting list as there were tickets.
The fact that the Formula 1 euphoria accelerator “Drive to Survive” cannot be seen in China because the American streaming service Netflix is not represented there has obviously not had a negative impact. Just last July, Formula 1 announced that it had signed a multi-year contract with the Chinese internet giant Tencent.
All training, qualification, sprint and main races are shown on its digital platforms. And that’s just in addition to Formula 1’s other Chinese TV partners CCTV, Shanghai TV and Guangdong Television Channel.
It is important not only for Mercedes-Benz, but for the entire sport to be present there, said Wolff to the German Press Agency before the China comeback. Formula 1 has gone through a remarkable growth phase since 2019. “We have expanded into new markets, continued to grow our audience and attracted a new generation of fans. This growth has continued in China and the return of the Chinese Grand Prix will help fuel this progress.”
Average age of Ferrari buyers in China is 35 years old
China is the largest car market in the world. As such, it is also the most important individual market for the German manufacturers Volkswagen – including the subsidiaries Audi and Porsche -, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. But also for a brand like Ferrari. “Compared to the rest of the world, we undoubtedly have the youngest customers here,” a Ferrari manager once explained in an article entitled “China – a very special market.” He emphasized: “The average age is thirty-five years.”
The Scuderia has celebrated four victories in China so far, a Mercedes won six times, a McLaren-Mercedes three times, a Red Bull twice and a Renault once. The record winner among drivers in China is Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion won six times in Shanghai, most recently in 2019. It was the 1000th race in the history of Formula 1.
So how important is it for a manufacturer, especially there, in the country with the largest car market in the world, not only to be there, but also to compete successfully? As one of the truly global sports, every Grand Prix is watched by a large, diverse audience, emphasized Wolff. Mercedes strives to deliver the absolute best performance on every race weekend. “Of course, returning to China after five years also brings additional motivation for a strong weekend,” he said.
The home appearance of the “Shanghai Tiger”
Guanyu Zhou in particular is hoping for a strong weekend. The 24-year-old from Shanghai has been a regular driver in Formula 1 since 2022. Chinese state media celebrated their compatriot’s home appearance at the beginning of the year. “China’s F1 driver Zhou looks forward to breakthrough in new season,” state news agency Xinhua headlined on January 11. The “Shanghai Tiger”, as he calls himself, drives sportily. However, at Kick Sauber this year it was only behind.
But numbers and times aren’t everything, it’s also about emotions and emotional connections. Formula 1 offers fans an opportunity to engage with the brand on a more human level and to understand the values and what the racing series stands for, said Wolff: “That can often be just as important when making a purchase decision as the product itself .”
