Shi Wei will make her debut during the first round of the F1 Academy in China and will be managed by Hitech Grand Prix.
Although there are still just under two months before the F1 Academy returns to the track, the first wild card for the season has already been announced. This will be Shi Wei, also known by the pseudonym Tie Dou, who will make her debut on the Shanghai circuit during the weekend from March 21 to 23. She has achieved numerous successes in her single-seater career, which began in 2023, including winning the Challenge Cup in the Chinese F4 Championship last year. She has also participated in the Toyota Gazoo Racing GR86 Cup and the Chinese Endurance Championship with a Toyota Supra GT4.
Not only will this be the first time the championship takes place in China, but the young driver will also be the first Chinese female to line up on the grid in the F1 Academy. Additionally, another novelty for the upcoming season is the management of the wild card being entrusted to Hitech Grand Prix, which will join the championship as the sixth team in the competition. Therefore, unlike the previous season, it will no longer be the championship-winning team that handles the wild cards.
Talking about her participation as a Wild Card in China, Shi Wei said: “It’s an incredible honor to receive the Wild Card for the F1 Academy, which gives me the opportunity to compete and learn alongside the best drivers on a bigger platform, turning a dream that seemed unreachable into a reality. I hope to inspire the younger generation and draw more attention to motorsport and the development of the automotive industry.”
“The entry of Shi Wei into the F1 Academy as a Wild Card represents not only a historic turning point for Chinese motorsport, but also a powerful reflection of the strength that defines Chinese women. We can’t wait to see her shine on the global stage and the exciting opportunities this will create for future generations of female drivers ,” added Huang Ming, General Manager of Shanghai Juss Sports Development (Group) Co., Ltd.
Photo: F1 Academy.
