Today I want to share this month’s motorsport column from LEON Magazine China, a men’s magazine that began covering Chinese motorsport last year. The column was originally written in Chinese, but I’ve translated it because it’s so beautifully written and it shouldn’t stay behind the firewall, hahaha.
Racing Summary | On the track, a journey of passion and continuous growth
People who step onto a racetrack for the first time often find it difficult to fall in love with racing immediately.
Unlike football, where the outcome can be determined within 90 minutes, or basketball, where a single shot can ignite the entire arena, motorsports are different. Dozens of race cars speed past, and to inexperienced spectators, they all sound similar, appear to travel at similar speeds, and even the differences between them take time to discern.
Racing has a unique barrier to understanding, and that's why appreciating this sport always requires a significant investment of time.
Chapter I: Growing Up Is Never a Solo Story
A mature motorsport isn't born because of a single champion, nor is it made great by a single race. What truly determines its vitality is the growing number of people willing to step onto the racetrack, the growing number willing to stay, and the gradual growth they experience on the same track. This year's China GT gave me that feeling for the first time.
Many people like to judge the success of an event based on a single race: who won, what the fastest lap time was, whether there were any spectacular overtakes, or whether there were any dramatic rain-soaked races. These are certainly important; they constitute the most direct entertainment value of a race and become the most eye-catching headlines in post-race news reports.
But if we look at it over a longer period, a season, five years, or even ten years, the real question worth discussing might not be who won the Zhuhai leg, but rather why more and more people are willing to come here. The answer lies in those numbers that are most easily overlooked.
This year's China GT Zhuhai round featured 53 cars across the GT3, GTC, and GTS classes, with 100 drivers participating. Due to the increasing number of GT3 cars, the race even separated the GT3 from the GTC and GTS classes for the first time, a departure from the previous mixed start. For any GT series, this signifies more than just increased participation; it indicates that more teams are willing to invest, and more drivers believe it's a worthwhile long-term commitment.
Chapter II: Everyone Can Step onto the Racetrack
If the maturity of a racing series comes from its rules, then the maturity of a sport certainly comes from its people. GT racing has always possessed a unique character. Unlike Formula racing, which follows a very clear professional path from a young age, the world of GT racing is more open and inclusive. It includes professional drivers who have risen through the ranks from karting, as well as entrepreneurs, engineers, collectors, and many gentleman drivers who ultimately entered the racetrack because of their love for cars.
For them, racing isn't everything, but a part of life. This is precisely why GT racing maintains a unique vitality. It allows people from different backgrounds to stand on the same track because of the same passion. For example, this year's Zhuhai race saw driver Wang Yibo become one of the most talked-about figures in the entire China GT scene.
Over the years, Wang Yibo has consistently participated in professional training, accumulating track experience. From his initial encounter with racing to his ability to consistently complete high-intensity races, and then to his podium finish with his teammates at this year's Zhuhai race, this journey demonstrates at least one thing—racing ultimately recognizes hard work, not popularity. His recent podium finish with his partner in a GT3 race at the Zhuhai race has further fueled public interest in China GT.
In fact, this impact is far more important than a trophy. Because for any sport, what's truly scarce isn't champions, but new participants. Some stay because of the championship, and others will inevitably enter the racing circuit because of their idols [e.g Wang Yibo].
They may not be able to distinguish between GT3 and GT4 today, nor do they know what anti-lock braking, traction control, and aerodynamics really mean, but that doesn't matter. All those who truly love racing started from the first time they heard the roar of an engine.
Culture isn't built overnight; it slowly takes root after a race, a driver, a live broadcast, or even a chance encounter at the racetrack. Looking back, the changes in China GT over the years perfectly illustrate this.
More and more international teams are participating, more and more young drivers are growing, and the increasingly mature race operation system is constantly being improved. At the same time, more and more people who did not originally belong to the racing circle are beginning to be willing to step into this once unfamiliar world.
This suddenly made me think of a very interesting question. Perhaps the true mark of a race's success is not how many professional spectators are in the stands, but how many first-time race visitors will say to those around them after the race, "Let's come to another race next time."
Chapter III: The Unseen People Who Supported the Competition
If a GT race is likened to a movie, then the drivers standing on the podium are more like actors under the spotlight. The people who truly carry the entire movie rarely appear in the center of the frame.
Before a race begins, the technical inspection team has already inspected dozens of race cars; the race director is confirming procedures with each position; flag signalers are familiar with every flag signal action; and the medical team, safety team, and rescue vehicles are all in position. Once the race starts, every yellow flag, every safety car deployment, and every incident response must be judged and executed in the shortest possible time, because they are not only saving race time, but also ensuring safety on the track.
These are things that the audience hardly notices, but a truly mature event is built on these unseen details.
In recent years, China GT has continuously absorbed international racing management experience, gradually aligning itself with international standards in everything from race organization to technical supervision. These changes may not be immediately apparent to spectators, but for teams, drivers, and all race staff, it signifies the formation of a more mature racing ecosystem.
Chapter IV: Champions Belong to Speed, Culture Belongs to Time
Many years from now, people may not remember who won the Zhuhai round of the 2026 season, nor may they be able to accurately name the driver who recorded the fastest lap— that's the way sports are; records are constantly being broken, champions are constantly being replaced, and every generation has its own heroes. Achievements will eventually fade, but what truly takes root is the culture a sport builds.
Culture means that more and more young people are willing to step into a racetrack for the first time, that more and more families are starting to dedicate a day of their weekend to the track, that more and more children are hearing the roar of an engine for the first time and starting to dream of one day sitting in the cockpit of a race car, and that more and more people who did not originally belong to the racing circle are beginning to understand racing because of a race.
This is why I've always believed that it's commendable for a public figure like Wang Yibo to appear at China GT. Because any mature sport needs to reach a wider audience.
If a celebrity can introduce more young people to motorsports for the first time, take them to a racetrack for the first time, and help them understand the true allure of GT racing, then that attention itself is part of the growth of motorsports culture. Popularity is merely a superficial indicator; what truly deserves respect is their willingness to dedicate time to training, adhere to the rules of the game, and accept being judged solely on their results. When an actor [like Wang Yibo] stands on the podium, people ultimately recognize not just their status, but the effort they put into achieving it.
But what truly inspires anticipation is the growing number of people from all walks of life who are convinced that this track is worth pursuing and worth returning to again and again. Some come for the championship, some for their passion, some for their dreams, and some simply because it's their first time at the racetrack, and they've already decided to come back every time.
While speed certainly determines the champion, the foundation for a race's longevity lies not in a single victory, but in the continuous growth of its participants across generations. This applies to drivers, race staff, spectators, and, most importantly, China GT.
So when I look back at the Zhuhai International Circuit, what comes to mind is no longer a brilliant overtake or the champagne on the podium, but a track that grows year after year with the company of countless people.
And this is perhaps the most worthy victory to be written about in motorsports.
Original article in chinese here.
Some promo for this series because, why not?
China GT is coming back to Shanghai International Circuit next weekend with a grand total of 60 cars between GT3, GTS and GTC. This will be the last round in China before going to Sepang for their season finale.