GT endurance racing returns to the Shanghai International Circuit after a five-year hiatus as the inaugural Shanghai 8 Hours endurance race officially kicks off during China’s National Day Golden Week.
The Shanghai International Circuit, currently the only FIA Grade 1 certified track in China, is not only sacred ground for motorsport in China but also a symbol of Asian motorsport.
The introduction of the Shanghai 8 Hours fills the void in China’s high-profile, long-distance endurance racing, further contributing to the redevelopment of motorsport in China.
As with the Sepang 12 Hours held earlier in the year, the Shanghai 8 Hours is organised by Topspeed the company which previously collaborated with the ACO to facilitate the Asian Le Mans Series.
A total of five manufacturers and 15 teams will participate in the 2023 race. In the GT3 category, Mercedes-AMG, BMW, Ferrari, Audi, and Porsche will all vie for victory, while the GTC and GT4 categories will also see talented drivers from the Asian region.
In the GT3 category, most of the participating teams have experienced international racing events, and Team ZZRT and Harmony Racing are the sole customer teams for BMW and Ferrari in mainland China, respectively.
Additionally, this marks the debut of the Porsche 911 GT3 R from the 992 generation in mainland China’s racing scene. The driver lineup includes some of the best GT drivers from within China including a number of drivers well known far beyond China with Congfu (Franky) Cheng, Adderly Fong and Craft Bamboo’s Frank You amongst the better known names on the entry.
Beyond the 10-car GT3 entry there are a trio of GT4s and a pair of Porsche Cup cars too to make up a 15 car entry.
The competition will commence on October 3rd with free practice sessions and qualifying, while the main race will take place on October 4th.
Timetable（GMT+8）
October 3rd (Tuesday):
9:00-10:30 – First Free Practice Session
11:30-13:00 – Second Free Practice Session
15:30-15:45 – First Qualifying Session
15:55-16:10 – Second Qualifying Session
16:20-16:35 – Third Qualifying Session
16:45-17:00 – Fourth Qualifying Session
October 4th (Wednesday):
9:15-17:15 – Main Race (8 hours + 1 lap)
For race results and live timing, you can visit the following links:
Live Streaming
With grateful thanks to ‘Bruno’ – BEC Motorsports
