Chinese Grand Prix to remain on F1 schedule until 2030

• F1 Academy to also expand to 18 cars next year as Hitech GP joins grid
• Do & Co signs ten-year extension to remain as Paddock Club supplier

The Chinese Grand Prix will remain on the Formula One calendar until at least the 2030 season.

Shanghai International Circuit has agreed a five-year extension to its deal which was set to expire at the end of next year.

The extension follows the series’ return to China this season after a five-year absence, having briefly dropped off the calendar due to complications caused by the Covid pandemic.

“Our return to China this season for the first time since 2019 was a fantastic moment for the sport, and it is incredible to see the levels of support that we enjoy in the country continuing to grow year-on-year,” said Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive of Formula One.

“Shanghai is an incredible city, and the racetrack is a wonderful test for our drivers, so I am delighted that Formula One will continue its successful partnership with the Chinese Grand Prix for a further five years. I want to thank our promoter for their continued commitment and passion, and I look forward to returning to Shanghai in the new year.”

According to Formula One, the sport has seen its fanbase in China climb to over 150 million, with more than half of this group starting to follow the series in the last four years, and 50 per cent being women.

This growth is seen across all metrics, including TV viewership, with 2024 TV audiences up 39 per cent versus the 2023 season average, and online where Formula One’s following on Chinese social media channels has grown by over one million in 2024, with a combined following of 4.4 million across Weibo, WeChat, Toutiao, and Douyin.

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Next season’s Grand Prix will be the second race of the season, taking place from 21st to 23rd March, and it will host the first sprint weekend of the year.

The Chinese Grand Prix will also be the season-opening race for F1 Academy, which expands to 18 cars from next year thanks to the addition of the Hitech Grand Prix team.

Hitech will enter two full-time cars, while the third will house the wildcard entry for each round of the season.

“We are proud to be expanding the F1 Academy grid to 18 cars in just our third season of racing,” said Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy.

“It’s clear to us that change is already in motion, and this expansion reflects not just the growing talent pool of drivers ready to make the step up but also the incredible growth of F1 Academy as a platform to develop female talent.

“Hitech Grand Prix have an impressive history in the junior formula, including FIA Formula 2 and Formula 3 and we are pleased to welcome them to our grid from 2025.”

In other news, Do & Co will continue as an official supplier for the Formula One Paddock Club for the next ten years after agreeing a partnership extension. The catering company has played a leading role in the series’ hospitality offering for more than three decades.