Motorsport activity in Zhuhai began with street) circuit racing in 1993, continuing until 1996. The permanent circuit was designed by Australian company Kinhill Engineers Pty Ltd, the same firm responsible for the Formula One circuit in Adelaide. Michael McDonough served as the project manager. The first international race held at the newly constructed circuit was a round of the BPR Global GT Series, quickly establishing ZIC as a focal point for local motorsport, attracting teams from Hong Kong and Macau who established bases within the circuit’s garages.
The original circuit layout featured 16 corners. However, a modification was made following a request from the FIM, resulting in the elimination of corners 7, 8, and 9, which were combined into a single corner. [unverified] Details of the early racing years are sparse in the corpus, but the circuit quickly became a popular venue for regional competition.
The corpus does not detail specific corners with unique technical challenges or associated incidents. It does note that the circuit’s combination of straights, hard braking areas, tight corners, and accelerating sections provide numerous overtaking opportunities, suggesting a layout that rewards skillful brake management.
The primary modernization of the circuit involved the reduction of corners from 16 to 14, driven by a track change request from the FIM. The corpus does not detail specific crashes that prompted further redesigns or safety improvements. The current circuit is 4.319 km (2.684 mi) long and features 14 turns – 9 right-handers and 5 left-handers – running clockwise. The start/finish straight is 900 m (0.56 mi) long and 14 m (15 yd) wide at its widest point, while the shorter straight measures 0.500 km (0.311 mi).
The corpus does not contain information regarding any specific crashes that led to significant circuit modifications or safety improvements.
Zhuhai International Circuit has hosted a wide variety of racing series beyond its initial focus on GT racing. These include the A1 Grand Prix (2007), Asian Formula Three Championship (2002, 2005–2008), Asian Le Mans Series, 4 Hours of Zhuhai (2013, 2016–2017), Asia Road Racing Championship (2001–2002, 2004–2012, 2019, 2023–2024), Asian Touring Car Series (2000–2002, 2005–2007), Aston Martin Asia Cup (2008), FIA GT Championship, Zhuhai 2 Hours (1999, 2004–2005, 2007), FIM Endurance World Championship (Zhuhai 6 Hours in 2004), Formula BMW Asia (2006–2007), Formula Renault AsiaCup (2003–2019), Formula V6 Asia (2006–2007), Intercontinental Le Mans Cup (6 Hours of Zhuhai in 2010–2011), Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia (2014), TCR Asia Series (2017, 2019), TCR China Touring Car Championship (2018–2019), and the Hong Kong and Macau Touring Car Championships. The circuit also hosted the Asian Festival of Speed in 2006, attracting a record 33,000 spectators.
As of April 2026, Zhuhai International Circuit continues to host a regular calendar of events, including the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, SRO GT Cup, China GT Championship, and F4 Chinese Championship. The fastest qualifying lap was set by Michael Ammermüller in a Lola A1GP in 2007, with a time of 1:23.203, though this is not officially recognized as the lap record. The fastest unofficial lap was set by Roberto Moreno in a 2007 Panoz DP01 Champ Car, recording a time of 1:23.612 during a demonstration run. The fastest unofficial GT1 lap time was set by a Porsche 911 GT1 in 1996 with a time of 1:30.401. On motorcycles, Mark Aitchison set a lap time of 1:33.725 on an EBR RS 1190 during a Pan Delta 1000cc Superbike race. In June 2024, LBS Bina Group Bhd announced the sale of its stake in the circuit to Huafa Urban Operation (HK) Ltd, signaling a change in ownership. The circuit also features a karting track established in 2004, and a karting club, Sunny Racing Club, founded in 2011. The circuit has been simulated in racing games such as GTR2, Project CARS, and Raceroom Racing Experience.
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