Zhuhai International Circuit - China Circuit Guide (Layout, FAQ)

Originally published May 2017. Last updated September 2026: added labelled circuit map (Wikimedia Commons, with attribution in caption)

Zhuhai International Circuit is China’s first permanent race track — a 4.319 km road course in Jin Ding, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, opened in November 1996. Formula One never raced here despite a provisional 1999 calendar slot, yet ZIC hosted GT championships, A1 Grand Prix, Intercontinental Le Mans Cup rounds, and the Asian Le Mans Series while teams from Hong Kong and Macau used the garages year-round.

The circuit matters because it proved China could build FIA-grade asphalt before Shanghai International Circuit arrived. Drivers still praise the mix of 900-metre straights, hairpins, and medium-speed bends on a largely flat 14-turn clockwise lap.

For regional context compare Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia or Lusail International Circuit in Qatar — other Asian venues that chased Formula One headlines in the same era.

Zhuhai International Circuit facts

Lap record note: the published outright reference is 1:22.296, set by Franck Montagny in a Peugeot 908 HDi FAP during the 2010 Zhuhai 1000 km. GT and touring categories use different tyres — compare within the same class only.

Zhuhai International Circuit — 4.319 km clockwise layout — Map: Will Pittenger / CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

The grandstands can accommodate 20,000 spectators

Racing in Zhuhai started on the street circuit

The origins of the Zhuhai International Circuit lie in the Zhuhai street circuit which was hosting international and regional racing events from 1993 to 1995, attracting sometimes more than 200,000 spectators. The potential was recognized for the permanent race track and the first plans were introduced in 1993.

The land in the Jin Ding Town was chosen and the construction ended in November 1996. The circuit was designed and created by the Australian company Kinhill Engineers Pty Ltd, the same group which created the Formula One circuit in Adelaide.

Drivers love demanding 14-turn race track

The FIA Grade II circuit is 4.319 kilometers long and has 14 turns (nine right turns and five left turns) in the clockwise direction. The longest straight is the start/finish straight which is 900 meters long and 14 meters wide. There is one more 500-meters-long straight. Drivers love the layout of Zhuhai race track because it offers a demanding combination of high-speed straights, hard braking at hairpins and tight corners.

BPR Global GT Series was the first competition at ZIC

The BPR Global GT Series, which was visiting Zhuhai street circuit in the previous years, was the first competition on the newly opened permanent race track. Ralf Kelleners and Emmanuel Collard won the race in a Porsche 911 GT1. In 1997, the series was converted into FIA GT Championship but didn’t return to Zhuhai.

FIA GT Championship race at Zhuhai International Circuit in 2005

FIA GT Championship came four times to Zhuhai

In the following years, FIA GT Championship visited Zhuhai four times — in 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007. The race winners were Olivier Beretta/Karl Wendlinger (1999, Chrysler Viper GTS-R), Andrea Bertolini/Mika Salo (2004, Maserati MC12), Anthony Kumpen/Bert Longin/Mike Hezemans (2005, Chevrolet Corvette C5-R) and Christophe Bouchut/Stefan Mucke (2007, Lamborghini Murcielago R-GT).

Besides hosting international events occasionally, the circuit became a base for many teams from nearby Hong Kong or Macau, which were setting their equipment and cars inside the circuit garages. Both Hong Kong and Macau Touring Car Championships visited Zhuhai regularly.

A1 Grand Prix Series instead of F1 and Champ Car

What about Formula 1? Zhuhai was included into the provisional F1 calendar for 1999 season but it subsequently lost its place after failing to meet standards set by FIA. Eight years later, in December 2007, another global single-seater series came to Zhuhai. It was the A1 Grand Prix series in its third season of existence. The race at Zhuhai International Circuit was the fourth round of the championship. Team Germany’s Michael Ammermuller was the winner of the Sprint race, Team India’s Narain Karthikeyan won the Feature race.

One more single-seater competition almost came to Zhuhai. In 2006, the multi-year deal was announced for Champ Car races in China. In November 2006, Roberto Moreno drove the Panoz DP01 car in a demonstration run at Zhuhai race track. Unfortunately, due to problems with a promoter, Champ Car series never came to Zhuhai.

Le Mans prototypes runs at Zhuhai as a part of the Asian Le Mans Series

Intercontinental Le Mans Cup visited Zhuhai two times

After FIA GT Championship was dismissed at the end of 2009 and A1 Grand Prix series also failed to return to China, the next major event was the Zhuhai 1000 km race in November 2010, as a part of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Franck Montagny and Stephane Sarrazin won the race with Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. In that race, Montagny set the all-time lap record of 1:22.296.

In November 2011, the 6 Hours of Zhuhai was again the finale of the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup. Sebastien Bourdais and Anthony Davidson secured one more wins for Peugeot. In 2012, the FIA World Endurance Championship was revived but Zhuhai wasn’t included into the calendar. Zhuhai hosted the rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series in 2013 and 2016, remaining in a calendar for the 2017 season.

Pan Delta Super Racing Festival was established in 2005

ZIC underwent slight upgrade in 2004

Ownership of the race track has been changed in 2003 when Dragon Hill Corporation purchased ZIC. The main race track has never been changed, only the minor upgrades were made in 2004 by Hermann Tilke. In the same year, a kart circuit was added to ZIC facility. Following the Chinese car market explosion in the mid-2000s, Zhuhai circuit became one of the main venues for car manufacturers and dealers to offer track rides and tests for their customers.

Of other activities, the main annual events are the Asian Le Mans Series, FRD Chinese LMP3 Series, Pan Delta Super Racing Festival, Circuit Hero Endurance Race and Superbike races.

Visiting Zhuhai International Circuit

Zhuhai International Circuit sits in Jin Ding, Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province (postcode 519085). Macau and Hong Kong are within driving distance — many teams historically based equipment here for Macau and Hong Kong touring-car weekends.

Check zic.com.cn for track-day calendars, corporate driving programmes, and ticketed race meetings before booking travel.

Fast facts about Zhuhai International Circuit

• ZIC was China’s first permanent race track, opening in 1996.
• The lap measures 4.319 km with 14 clockwise turns.
• Formula One listed Zhuhai for 1999 but never raced here.
• BPR Global GT Series opened the permanent circuit in 1996.
• A1 Grand Prix visited in December 2007.
• Peugeot won both Intercontinental Le Mans Cup Zhuhai races (2010–2011).
• Franck Montagny’s 1:22.296 remains the quoted outright lap record.
• Hermann Tilke led minor upgrades and a kart track in 2004.
• Hong Kong and Macau teams often test and store cars at ZIC.
• Asian Le Mans Series rounds continue to use the circuit.

Related reading

• Shanghai International Circuit — Chinese Grand Prix guide
• Macau Guia Circuit — street racing in China
• Sepang International Circuit — Malaysian Grand Prix
• Lusail International Circuit — Qatar F1 and MotoGP
• Adelaide Street Circuit — Kinhill Engineers’ other project