Shanghai auto festival brings high-octane fun

The roar of engines has returned to shake Shanghai's streets as the 2024 Shanghai Auto Culture Festival kicks into high gear from April 19 to the end of May. The extravaganza, held in Jiading district, has driven the city's automotive passion into higher gear thanks to the long-awaited return of the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix after a four-year hiatus.

This year's race not only marked the 20th anniversary of F1's debut in China, but also witnessed 25-year-old racer Zhou Guanyu, a Shanghai native, become the nation's first-ever F1 driver to race on domestic soil.

Official tallies show nearly 200,000 spectators attended the three-day F1 weekend from April 19 to 21, with around 80 percent traveling from outside Shanghai. Ten percent journeyed from overseas to watch the race from the stands.

"The scale feels much grander this year compared to my last visit in 2019," said Yang Jing, a race fan who made the trip from Tianjin. "Whereas before I felt quite alone as a female fan, now I see the fandom soaring rapidly, which will surely propel more newcomers to discover motorsports' thrilling allure."

For Zhou, his long-awaited Shanghai homecoming catalyzed an overwhelming mix of emotions. This race means everything — immense joy, profound pride and a deep sense of duty, the young driver said.