Zhuhai International Circuit
Encyclopedia
Zhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
City, Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Motorsport started in Zhuhai when it hosted a race on its street circuit
Street circuit
A street circuit is a racing circuit composed by temporarily closed-off public roads of a city, town or village, used in motor races. Facilities such as the paddock, pit boxes, fences and grandstands are usually placed temporarily and removed soon after the race is over but in modern times the...
in 1993, racing continued until 1996 when the motor racing circuit was constructed and became China’s first permanent motor race track with Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
in mind.
The circuit is designed by Australian company Kinhill Engineers Pty Ltd, the same group which created the Formula One circuit in Adelaide
Adelaide Street Circuit
The Adelaide Street Circuit is a temporary street circuit in the East Parklands adjacent to the central business district of the city of Adelaide in South Australia....
. The project manager for the project was Michael McDonough.
The first international race held at the circuit was the BPR Global GT Series
BPR Global GT Series
The BPR Global GT Series was a grand tourer-based sports car racing series which ran from 1994 to 1996 before becoming the FIA GT Championship in 1997...
. The circuit soon became the hotbed of local motorsports with teams from Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
setting up their bases inside the circuit garages.
Track layout
The circuit is 4.3 kilometres (2.67 mi) long and has 14 turns. 9 of them are right turns and 5 are left turns and the circuit runs clockwise only. The shorter straight is 500 metre (0.310686368324903 mi) long. The longest straight is the start/finish straight which is 900 metre (0.559235462984826 mi) long and 14 metres wide at its widest. Alexandre Imperatori, A1 Team SwitzerlandA1 Team Switzerland
A1 Team Switzerland is the Swiss team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series. The team were the A1 Grand Prix champions for the third season, 2007-08.-History:...
's rookie driver, suggested that there are lots of overtaking places in the circuit because of the combination of straights, hard braking areas for hairpins, tight corners, followed by and accelerating for long straights. The most successful driver on the circuit is the best one who can manage their brake wear. Zhuhai International Circuit is an FIA Grade II certified circuit.
Lap records
The fastest qualifying lap ever at the circuit was set by a Lola-Zytek A1 Grand Prix car on the fourth round2007-08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Zhuhai, China
__FORCETOC__The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Zhuhai, China is a A1 Grand Prix race, to be held on December 16, 2007 at the Zhuhai International Circuit, China. This will be the fourth meeting in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season.- Pre-race :...
on December 16, 2007 during the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
The 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season was the third in the relatively short history of the championship.- Teams :All teams used same A1 Grand Prix car including chassis , engine and tyre...
. It was driven by Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller is a race car driver born in Pocking, Germany on February 14, 1986.-Career:In 2004 he drove the number three car in German Formula Renault, as well as competing in Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup...
and managed a lap of 1:23.203. However, this is not considered the lap record since lap records are taken from racing laps and not qualifying.
The fastest unofficial lap ever at the circuit was set by a 2007 Panoz
Panoz
Panoz Auto Development is an American manufacturer of high-performance automobiles founded in 1989 by Dan Panoz, son of pharmaceutical and motorsport mogul Don Panoz. The company is located in Braselton, GA. Panoz products have included the Panoz Roadster and AIV Roadster, and the Panoz Esperante...
DP01 Champ Car on November 30, 2006. It was driven by Roberto Moreno
Roberto Moreno
Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining...
, it managed a lap of 1:23.612 during a demonstration run.
Christophe Bouchut
Christophe Bouchut is a French race driver. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993. He currently drives in the FIA GT1 World Championship...
in an Aston Martin DBR9
Aston Martin DBR9
The Aston Martin DBR9 is a racing car built by Aston Martin Racing, debuting in 2005. The name DBR9 is derived from the original 24 Hours of Le Mans-winning DBR1 car, named for then-owner David Brown, which not only won the 24 Hour race in 1959 but also the World Sportscar title.-Development:Based...
, prepared by Russian Age Racing in 2005. His time was 1:30.661.
Event organizer
Zhuhai International Circuit Co Ltd is also a prominent motorsport event organizer and promoter in China. It has organized and promoted the FIA GT ChampionshipFIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
in China and in 2007, it has also signed a contract with China Motorcycle Sports Association to promote the inaugural China Superbike Championship
China Superbike Championship
China Superbike Championship is a motorcycle racing championship organized in China by China Motorcycle Sports Association and promoted by Zhuhai International Circuit. It was first established in 2007.There are four championship rounds in 2007...
.
National races
Zhuhai International Circuit is the promoter of the China Superbike ChampionshipChina Superbike Championship
China Superbike Championship is a motorcycle racing championship organized in China by China Motorcycle Sports Association and promoted by Zhuhai International Circuit. It was first established in 2007.There are four championship rounds in 2007...
, established in 2007 and sanctioned by the China Motorcycle Sports Association, CMSA.
ZIC also organizes the Circuit Hero and Circuit Hero GT race series, which allows citizens of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to participate.
HTCC and MTCC
Hong Kong Touring Car Championship
The Hong Kong Touring Car Championship was established by the Hong Kong Automobile Association in 2002. Currently, all the races are held at the Zhuhai International Circuit in Guangdong province, China , at the Guangdong International Circuit in the same province or during the Macau Grand Prix...
and the Macau Touring Car Championship both run the majority of their races at ZIC since they began.
Asian races
The Asian Festival of Speed (AFOS) was held at the circuit from October 20, 2006 to October 22, 2006, when a record 33,000 people turned up to watch the races.AFOS has been held at the circuit many times since its inception in 1994.
The Asian Formula Three Championship
Asian Formula Three Championship
The Asian Formula Three Championship was a single-seater racing series based in South East Asia. It is one of a number of national and international Formula Three championships that form part of an established "career ladder" below Formula One. It was sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the...
is also hosted by the circuit annually.
In addition, the FIM Asia Road Racing Championship race at ZIC in December annually.
Formula One ambitions
ZIC was included in the provisional 1999 F1 calendar. But the circuit subsequently lost its place in the calendar due to logistical problems. F1 subsequently races in Shanghai International CircuitShanghai International Circuit
The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004....
.
Endurance World Championship
In May 2004, the Endurance World ChampionshipEndurance World Championship
Endurance World Championship is the premier worldwide endurance motorcycle racing championship. The championship season consists of a series of races held on permanent racing facilities. The results of each race are combined to determine two annual World Championships, one for teams and one for...
Zhuhai 6 Hours race was held at the circuit. This was the first time an international motorcycle race was held at the circuit.
The race was won by GMT 94 Racing.
FIA GT Championship
In 1997, ZIC welcomed the new FIA GT ChampionshipFIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
. In 1999, the circuit held the FIA GT Championship again, after that the circuit went quiet on the international scene for 5 years.
Maserati MC12
The Maserati MC12 is a two-seater sports car produced by Italian car maker Maserati to allow a racing variant to compete in the FIA GT Championship. The car entered production in 2004 with 30 cars produced...
s of AF Corse scored a 1-2 at the track.
The FIA GT Championship was staged from October 21, 2005 to October 23, 2005 and the GPLK Corvette C5-R
Chevrolet Corvette C5
The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years.- Overview :...
won the race. The GruppeM Porsches won GT2. The Hong Kong Le Mans Team and the Malaysian Proton R3 Amprex team also took part.
The FIA GT Championship
FIA GT Championship
The FIA GT Championship was a sports car racing series organized by the Stéphane Ratel Organisation at the behest of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The championship was mostly concentrated in Europe, but throughout the years has visited other continents including Asia and South...
race has been postponed to 25 March 2007 from October 2006, in order to keep clear of the Shanghai F1 Grand Prix in early October and the Macau Grand Prix in the middle of November. The race was won by All-Inkl.com racing's Lamborghini Murciélago
Lamborghini Murciélago
The Lamborghini Murciélago is a two-door, two-seat sports car produced by Italian automaker Lamborghini between 2001 and 2010. Successor to the Diablo and flagship of the automaker's lineup, the Murciélago was introduced as a coupé in 2001. The automaker's first new design in eleven years, the car...
R-GT, driven by Christophe Bouchut
Christophe Bouchut
Christophe Bouchut is a French race driver. He won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1993. He currently drives in the FIA GT1 World Championship...
and Stefan Mucke
Stefan Mücke
- Racing career :Mücke started his racing career in 1998, when he won the Formula BMW ADAC series, with his father's Mücke Motorsport team, also making their debut. He competed in German Formula Three for his father's team for the next three years, before moving to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters...
. GT2 class was won by AF Corse's Ferrari F430 GT2, with Dirk Müller and Toni Vilander
Toni Vilander
Toni Markus Vilander is a Finnish race car driver who competed in the GP2 Series in 2005. He was also GT2 class champion of the FIA GT Championship in 2007 and 2008.-Career:...
at the wheel.
A1 Grand Prix
2007-08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Zhuhai, China
__FORCETOC__The 2007–08 A1 Grand Prix of Nations, Zhuhai, China is a A1 Grand Prix race, to be held on December 16, 2007 at the Zhuhai International Circuit, China. This will be the fourth meeting in the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season.- Pre-race :...
of the 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season
The 2007-08 A1 Grand Prix season was the third in the relatively short history of the championship.- Teams :All teams used same A1 Grand Prix car including chassis , engine and tyre...
on December 16, 2007. The Sprint race was won by Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller
Michael Ammermüller is a race car driver born in Pocking, Germany on February 14, 1986.-Career:In 2004 he drove the number three car in German Formula Renault, as well as competing in Formula Renault 2000 Eurocup...
of Team Germany
A1 Team Germany
A1 Team Germany was the German team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series. The team were the A1 Grand Prix champions for the second season, 2006-07. They were run by the English Super Nova Racing team until the end of 2007-08...
and the Feature race was won by Narain Karthikeyan
Narain Karthikeyan
Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan , is the first Formula One motor racing driver from India. He has previously competed in A1GP, and the Le Mans Series. He made his Formula One debut in with the Jordan team, and was a WilliamsF1 test driver in and...
of Team India
A1 Team India
A1 Team India is the Indian team of A1 Grand Prix, an international racing series.- Management :The seatholder for Team India is former Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan....
. On October 13, 2009, Executive Deputy General Manager of Zhuhai Internation Circuit, Stewart Tan said he welcome A1 Grand Prix return to the circuit on November 15, 2009. However, the series has more races were cancelled, with an announcement made on 5 November 2009 stating that the races in China and Malaysia was not taking part.
Le Mans Intercontinental Cup
On 10 June 2010, the ACOAutomobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
announced that the Chinese round of the 2010 Le Mans Intercontinental Cup - The 1000 km of Zhuhai, will be held at Zhuhai International Circuit on 7 November.
On 13 November 2011, the ACO
Automobile Club de l'Ouest
The Automobile Club de l'Ouest , sometimes abbreviated to ACO, is the largest automotive group in France. It was founded in 1906 by car building and racing enthusiasts, and is most famous for being the organising entity behind the annual Le Mans 24 Hours race...
organized the 2011 6 Hours of Zhuhai
2011 6 Hours of Zhuhai
The 2011 6 Hours of Zhuhai is a sports car racing event held at the Zhuhai International Circuit on November 13, 2011. It is the seventh and final round of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup.-Qualifying Result:...
at Zhuhai International Circuit as the finale of the 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup
2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup
The 2011 Intercontinental Le Mans Cup was the second and final running of the Automobile Club de l'Ouest's Intercontinental Le Mans Cup, an international auto racing championship for manufacturers and teams. The Cup will feature endurance races from the American Le Mans Series, Le Mans Series, and...
season.
Super GT ambitions
In 2004, the GT Association, the organizer of Super GTSuper GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
, announced on 23 May that an All-Star race in China, scheduled for 4 to 6 October at ZIC. But on 5 August 2004, JGTC announced that the race was cancelled, for reasons related to the Chinese organizer.
Champ Car
A multi year deal was announced in 2006 that brought one of the American racing series to ChinaPeople's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. On 30 November 2006, Roberto Moreno
Roberto Moreno
Roberto Pupo Moreno , usually known as Roberto Moreno and also as Pupo Moreno, is a racing driver from Brazil. He participated in 75 Formula One Grands Prix, achieved 1 podium, and scored a total of 15 championship points. He raced in CART in 1986, and was Formula 3000 champion before joining...
made history as he took the 2007 DP01 Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
on track at the Zhuhai Circuit, marked the first time and also the last time a Champ Car
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
had run in China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Then the series had problems with its promoter, which settled in a court in the US, and replaced them with a new promoter. The new promoter did not have enough time to organize the race on the original May date and so the race was provisionally moved to October 2007. When the series failed to get F.I.A. approval for the October date the 2007 race was cancelled. The series was looking to race in Zhuhai
Zhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
for the 2008 season
2008 Champ Car World Series season
The 2008 Champ Car season was to have been the 30th season of the series. It was scheduled to begin on April 20, 2008 and end on November 9. The season, with the sole exception of the Long Beach Grand Prix , was canceled February 21, 2008 because of the buyout of Champ Car by the rival Indy Racing...
until the unification with Indy Racing League but most of the speculation had died down.
Track rentals
Since 2005, the circuit has become a hive of track activities, with a large number of auto-related launches and events held at the circuit, as the battle for car sales in China heat up. Auto dealers and manufacturers try to lure more customers by allowing them to drive freely on the track and pampering them off it.Kart circuit
Simulations
GTR2 has the circuit simulated based on the 2004 FIA GT Championship season.Transportation
The ZIC has a bus stop which is served by routes 3, 3A, 10, 10A, 66, 68 and 69 of the Zhuhai bus network.It is also served by the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Mass Rapid Transit, as Tangjiawan Station
Tangjiawan Station
Tangjiawan Station , formerly Jintang Station during planning, is an elevated station of the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Mass Rapid Transit...
is within walking distance of the circuit's west grandstand. The station is slated to open in 2012, when the line's remaining stations in Zhuhai enter service. Train service currently terminates at the Zhuhai North Railway Station
Zhuhai North Railway Station
Zhuhai North Railway Station , formerly Jinding Station during planning, is an elevated station of the Guangzhou–Zhuhai Intercity Mass Rapid Transit . It is located within the Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development District in Jinding Town, Xiangzhou, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.The station...
in Jinding, which is connected to the ZIC via bus route 3A.