Formula 1 has announced a five-year extension with the Chinese Grand Prix that will see the Shanghai International Circuit remain on the calendar through the 2030 season.

The extension follows the sport's successful return to China this year after a five-year absence, whn 200,000 fans attended the race to see Max Verstappen take victory in both the Sprint and the Grand Prix.

In the 20 years since its first race, the 5.45km track has established itself as a favourite of drivers and fans alike, the drivers relishing the unique challenge the circuit provides, including the ever-tightening Turns 1 and 2, and high g-force Turns 7 and 8, while fans enjoy the racing and the vibrant culture of the city of Shanghai.

Since Rubens Barrichello's victory in the inaugural race, the Chinese Grand Prix has seen nine other winners, including six victories from Lewis Hamilton and two from Fernando Alonso from the current grid.

This extension marks the sport's continued growth in China as the sport's popularity and audience continue to increase. According to the press release, the sport has seen its fan-base in China climb to over 150 million, with more than half of this group starting to follow Formula 1 in the last four years, and 50% being women. This growth is seen across all metrics, including TV viewership, with 2024 TV audiences up 39% versus the 2023 season average, and online where Formula 1's following on Chinese social media channels has grown by over 1 million in 2024, with a combined following of 4.4 million across Weibo, WeChat, Toutiao, and Douyin.

The 2025 event will be the second round on the 2025 calendar, taking place 21-23 March, and will host the first F1 Sprint event of the season, as well as the first round of F1 Academy.

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

"Shanghai is an incredible city, and the racetrack is a wonderful test for our drivers, so I am delighted that Formula 1 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."

"For many years, Jiushi Group and our subsidiary, Juss Sports, have always adhered to our original intention to strive for the excellence in event organization, and this renewal is a testament to that," added Guo Jianfei, Chairman of Shanghai Jiushi (Group) Co., Ltd., the promoter of Chinese Grand Prix. "It is excellent news for fans in China and is a perfect platform to showcase Shanghai to the world as millions tune in on TV globally. Looking ahead, we will continue to work closely with all partners, further strengthen our engagement with international audiences through the event platform, consistently improve the event quality, and better present the city charm of Shanghai.

"We fully understand that a successful Grand Prix is not only an exciting race event, but also a driving force for the whole society to develop in a more positive direction. In the future, we will continue to optimize the event experience through innovation and achieve a sustainable contribution to the society."

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