RaceFans Round-up: Chinese fans crashed website buying tickets

In short

Zhou expects “memorable” first residence race

Sauber driver Zhou is poised to turn into the primary Chinese language driver to compete of their residence grand prix when F1 returns to the Shanghai International Circuit in April. He mentioned curiosity within the sequence has ballooned since F1 final visited the observe in 2019.

“I used to be on the dinner desk at eight o’clock, that was when the ticket was promoting, after which folks was simply texting me that my grandstand had been bought out in 4 minutes,” he mentioned. “In actuality, the primary 10 minutes, as a result of the app was shutting down by too many customers making an attempt to purchase the tickets.

“So it’s nice information, I feel, particularly for China, coming again after 5 seasons, to lastly have the grand prix there and simply to see the entire viewers, how a lot it’s been rising, has been constructed during the last previous few years.”

Zhou mentioned his arrival in F1 two years in the past as China’s first race driver to enter the sequence has “made a large impression” on its reputation. “It’s nice to see. Additionally a variety of the younger generations, they’re beginning go karts, racing overseas extra usually in comparison with the age I used to be, transferring out to attempt to do racing in motorsports or to step by step get into Formulation 1.

“So it’s thrilling, not simply my grandstand, the entire ticket has been bought out for the grand prix, so can’t await that. And it’s a dash race weekend so I feel the followers can have undoubtedly extra leisure and there can be extra racing motion happening so it’s going to be a memorable weekend.”

Haas VF-24 completes first run

Nico Hulkenberg gave the Haas VF-24 its first shakedown at Silverstone yesterday. He accomplished 200 kilometres of working, as the utmost distance permitted has doubled this 12 months.

Hauger leads moist F2 take a look at in Bahrain

Unusually, rain affected each Formulation 2 and Formulation 3 testing in Bahrain in addition to a Formulation 4 UAE on the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi final weekend.

The rain in Bahrain sophisticated F2 groups’ first take a look at with a full complement of the brand new Dallara F2 2024 chassis. Dennis Hauger ended the day on high for MP Motorsport with a finest time of 1’53.175.

Leon leads F3 take a look at

Van Amersfoort’s Noel Leon led the F3 take a look at in Bahrain after drivers carried out solely minimal working within the morning session because of the moist observe floor. Leon lined 19 laps and his finest effort of 1’46.657 put him simply 15 thousandths of a second forward of Oliver Goethe.

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Al Azhari takes F4 UAE factors lead forward of finale

Freddie Slater returned to Yas Marina main the Formulation 4 UAE sequence however fell to second within the standings on the conclusion of the triple-header yesterday having come away from the weekend point-less. Keanu Al Azhari, who tangled with Slater in Saturday’s opening race, mustered a second-place end in yesterday’ second encounter to take a 16-point lead into this weekend’s finale on the Dubai Autodrome.

Two extra new winners yesterday means the sequence has now seen eight completely different drivers take victory over the 12 races up to now. They have been taken by Gabriel Stilp, who gained a uncommon rain-hit race on the observe, and Rashid Al Dhaheri, the latter transferring into fifth within the standings.

Bilinki poised to clinch Formulation Regional Oceania title

Roman Bilinski elevated his lead over nearest factors rival Liam Sceats with second and fifth locations in yesterday’s two Formulation Regional Oceania rounds at Ruapuna. Victories went the way in which of Sceats and Michael Shin. Bilinksi, who gained the weekend’s opening race, goes into this weekend’s finale at Highlands Motorsport Park with a 56-point lead over Sceats.

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