"I love the people here. The culture is amazing, and every time we race in Shanghai, there's so much love for Formula One," he said.

　　Seven-time world champion Hamilton further bridged the gap with Chinese fans by launching his Douyin account during his China tour and launching an official Xiaohongshu (RedNote) account after finishing the Chinese Grand Prix.

　　Haas, the smallest team on the F1 grid, expanded its local presence by opening an official Weibo account ahead of the race.

　　Team principal Ayao Komatsu emphasized: "I want Chinese fans to feel close to us. We've been racing in Shanghai for years, and I believe we can build a genuine fan culture here."

　　Drivers Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman further connected with fans by signing autographs for everyone who attended their first fan event in China last week.

　　Mekies noted that the sport's continued growth in China is as much to do with the Chinese GP's location as it is the racing itself.

　　"The energy in Shanghai, in the city, is incredible," he said. "It is a city where you want to stay awake day and night."

Shanghai has been engulfed in F1 fever for weeks, with specially liveried buses and lots of exciting activities, including a huge fan event with Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu.[Photo/China Daily]