Harmony Racing has become a staple in Chinese GT racing with immaculately prepped Ferraris on track and, in the background, with an approach from team founder and owner David Chen Weian that has proved to be ground-breaking in the region.
The still-sometimes driver is driven now to create an all-Chinese team, and his approach to growing talent has been noticed, not only by his Chinese contemporaries, but by international notables in the paddock. One well-known GT3 team manager noted to the DSC Editor in the Macau paddock that “What David is doing is admirable; the way he treats and develops his people stands out here. He’s heading for significant success because he’s bringing all of his people up the ladder with him on the journey.”
That was enough for a request for a quick chat, and a meeting for the first time since the pre-COVID years when David had been a driver making his way in the GT class of the Asian Le Mans Series and elsewhere.
So when did the change come?
“I started the team in late 2021; it was precisely in the middle of COVID, and I had a choice to make: whether I would continue as a racing driver or that I jump into this opportunity to put together a team.
“That was one of the hardest decisions I had ever faced in my life, because I was, and I’m still young still, back then, four years ago, I was only 26, and for anyone this early in their career as a driver, to make that choice, it was a big choice.
“I can only say I’m really happy that I made that choice.”
How big is Harmony Racing? How many people are you do you have permanently?
“15 people permanently working within the team at Ningbo International Speed Park, and depending on the race, we have extra part-timers, and, of course, freelancers too.
The unusual part about this is the level of investment you’ve put in, not just to have the material, the cars, but your guys, your crew, the mechanics, all Chinese?
You’re clearly very proud that it’s a national setup with one of the world’s most famous brands?
“Absolutely, and to me, I think it all comes down to the way that I believe a team should operate, which I have obviously learned throughout the years, and honestly, I have seen so much great potential from other teams in China that either I have been involved with as a driver before, or I have seen from the outside or as a friend.
“Yes, we lack experience in terms of starting this whole race industry as a country and as a culture.
“I recognise that we need time to build, and it has to be from the foundation, because this is a team sport. If we want the results to come quickly, we could have different solutions and methods.
“Perhaps in my very first year of building the team, I could have got there more quickly by buying in all of the experience. But I don’t want that, because, as you said, I want this team to be fully Chinese as much as I can, and built by a dream, a common dream.
“Everybody understands the basic foundation, the logic, the correct working methods, and perhaps sometimes just correcting some of my guys’ understanding of racing in general.
“But we need to involve everyone in the journey; we need to improve, and we have to recognise that we were behind, because simply we started later, much later, in motorsport in this region.
“So with all that being in mind, I built up a team with many ambitious young guys, with some experience, of course, because mechanically, they need to be able to understand the car.
“So from the mechanics, the more junior engineers, my secretaries, assistants, I tried to find everyone who loves racing. They may or may not have previous team experience, but that’s okay. I give everything I can and teach them the way that I believe is correct.
“That means I spent 24/7, 365, for the past three years to get to this level, and that is exactly what I think: build up the foundation to really allow us to be at this point.
We had this massive pause with the pandemic. And it feels if we’re now getting momentum back in this market, we have to take it seriously outside of China. So I guess the question is this: is that correct? And if that is correct, where do you and Harmony Racing’s ambitions look to for the future?
“The common goal, this dream that I have, but it’s the common consensus among the team members, is that one day we could, as a team, arrive at 24 hours of Le Mans.
“I have seen a big growth in China, or maybe not growth. I should say, when I first started the team, it was more potential, but not the real growth yet.
“But I see that potential. I want to be part of this growth. And I said to myself, okay, so. I want to do this, but always thinking about the long term, because long term is something you want to do, not in the next one or two years, but rather five or maybe it will take even longer.
“But it doesn’t matter. I love this. I want people who would like to grow with me to join me. And therefore it just kind of all worked out to be very good timing, just when China was recovering from the pandemic, which was true for all segments, all businesses, all through our industry and beyond.
“I had a hunch it was the right time, and that if I wanted to do it I needed to do it right now; this is the right moment. So I worked hard on finding the right partners and sponsors, and I went for it.”
There’s a young man that’s here and put your car on the front row. And he is making an impact as an international star, a Le Mans winner from China in the car. You’re the ideal guy to tell me the impact in your home racing and media market that this story has had?
“I’m sure you could already imagine, but in terms of the real scale and the result, I have to say it will probably only exceed my expectations, because if you look at the social perspective as a team, myself and also the team media accounts are increasingly being followed by these Chinese motorsport fans.
“Even this year, we started seeing some F1 fans who did not know much about racing other than F1, taking an interest in sports car racing, and starting to realize, huh, in China, we actually have all these teams, these drivers, actively racing in our home soil or maybe in Asia, right?
“And now to have Yifei as a Le Mans winner, that has received massive national focus, a real person that can help a HUGE audience to understand the scale and significance of something that so many people never knew was out there. And, as a team owner and a businessman, of course I want to encourage that focus, that interest in the hope that that interest, and the social media and media engagement that comes with it, will turn into something that we can use to take our team, and our business forward.”
Of course, we’ve known about this absolutely unique event for many years, but a chunk of my understanding of this event in terms of its significance in this marketplace came from a conversation with Frank Yu, I think it was at the Dubai 24 hours. This must be 12-13 years ago, and Frank was telling me, ” No, Graham, you don’t understand, Macau is our Le Mans!” That’s what he said. That for a driver like him, who’s obviously a very keen driver, but also with a business interest through Craft Bamboo, this was the Blue Riband event.
This is where every team and every driver, back in the days before FIA GT World Cup, wanted to go. And he said, as the teams do for Le Mans, we’d wait for the fax or the telephone call to say you’re in or you’re not with the same sense of excitement and trepidation!
It’s a different era. You’re here in what’s not a very wide grid, but a very challenging grid this year. Where do you want this race to go to in the future, and how do they get there?
“I have to be honest that for sure, I live in a different era, and I perceive this race in a slightly different way.
“But nevertheless, I do agree that as an Asian team, logistically speaking, generally speaking, it’s just not easy for us to arrive to Europe or Australia or even America. It’s simply much, much more difficult.
“So I agree this is that one event in the region that would give us the same sort of recognition around the world, a breakthrough if you want to put it that way.
“But not only that, you do it, and if you get a good result out of it, you for sure hope this will continue and for many years to come, because it’s a myth. It’s a legend. It’s an event I want us to be part of for a very long time, for our involvement to become part of that legend and for us to keep doing it for as long as I am involved in the sport.
“We are, in 2026 at the 72nd edition – I want to be here with my team for the 100th!”
There’s so many options and opportunities. Should things go the way that you’re obviously planning to race, not just in Asia, but to break out. And Le Mans, obviously, will be a target.
Where are the next targets for Harmony Racing outside of your home and regional markets?
Is it Spa? Is it Bathurst? Is it IMSA?
You’ve now got some experience, at least, of working with the torque sensors- no, it isn’t LMGT3 in entirety. But what would you like to be doing next to announce that intention?
“I am the type of person that likes to really think hard and well before making a decision, but sometimes I also make the decision in a very short time frame. It’s all about opportunity, and, all things considered, if I can convince myself, if all the elements are right, I’m happy to make a big decision.
“So with that being said, I believe the current outlook of all the championships, it is more reasonable for us to continue and expand into further IGTC events, before any potential ACO events.
“And on top of that, I’ve heard many rumours, potentially with Asian Le Mans also going more like ELMS with torque sensors. So that has to play out. Once it has done so, we’ll see where we are and decide whether to make that move. Of course we are aware that if we are to fulfil our Le Mans ambition we need to make a move at some point fairly soon.”
