Ma Qinghua is a trailblazer in Chinese motorsport, boasting a career that spans from karting to Formula 1 and onto the pinnacle of global touring car championships. He is best known as the first Chinese driver to secure an FIA Super Licence and participate in an official F1 Grand Prix weekend practice session. In recent years, his continued triumphs in the TCR World Tour have further cemented his credentials as a top-tier professional racing driver.
Born in Shanghai in 1987, Ma took up karting at the age of eight under his father's guidance. He quickly made a name for himself on the domestic karting circuit, clinching the National Youth Karting Championship at just 12 years old. In 2004, he secured the Asian Formula Renault championship title before heading to Europe to compete in both Spanish F3 and British F3, becoming one of the few Chinese drivers to establish a firm footing in European single-seater racing.
In 2012, Ma's career reached a defining milestone. He earned a testing opportunity through the HRT Formula 1 Team's driver development programme and successfully secured his FIA Super Licence after completing 483 kilometres of testing at the Silverstone Circuit. In September 2012, he took part in Free Practice 1 (FP1) for HRT at the Monza Circuit in Italy, becoming the first Chinese driver to drive during an official F1 Grand Prix weekend. In November of that year, HRT announced him as a confirmed race driver for the 2013 season; although the team subsequently folded due to financial troubles, the official confirmation cemented his status as China's first F1 race driver. In 2013, driving for Caterham at the Shanghai International Circuit, he took part in practice, marking the first appearance by a Chinese driver on home soil at the F1 Chinese Grand Prix.
Following his time in F1, Ma transitioned to touring car racing, carving out a successful new chapter. He clinched victory at the 2015 FIA World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) Race of Portugal and followed it up with a win at the 2019 WTCR Race of Slovakia, making him the first Chinese driver to take the top step of the podium in this premier world touring car series.
In recent years, Ma has established a strong partnership with the Geely/Cyan Racing outfit, delivering consistently strong results. In 2024, driving for Lynk & Co Cyan Racing, he took top honours at the TCR World Tour Race of Morocco. In the 2026 season opener at Misano, Italy, piloting the all-new Geely Xingrui TCR race car, he started from third on the grid, executed a decisive overtake on Lap 6, and held the lead to the chequered flag, handing the Geely China Star Team a historic debut victory in its very first race. Reflecting on the triumph, Ma noted: "I treated the entire race like a qualifying session, pushing flat out for all 13 laps. Securing a world-level victory behind the wheel of a Chinese racing car is truly unforgettable."
Ma's career is more than just a personal track record; it reflects the groundbreaking evolution of Chinese motorsport from the ground up. From his debut in F1 practice sessions to winning world touring car titles with Chinese marques, his journey mirrors the motorsport commitments of carmakers like Geely. Ma has often emphasised that "motorsport is the ultimate testing ground", where durability and high-performance engineering honed on the circuit directly feed back into production road cars. This "track-to-road" development philosophy elevates Ma beyond a pure racing driver, positioning him as a key contributor and witness to the upward breakthrough of China's automotive industry.
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