August 16th 2023, Barcelona – Zhang Yan will be racing in RX2e’s last round in Estering. She will be the first female Chinese driver to participate in Rallycross. She will be racing for RuiSi Racing Team. The Estering round being her first appearance in Rallycross she will have to adapt quickly to the Zeroid X1 car, while competing with more experienced drivers in the category. “I hope to finish the race successfully! For me, it’s about enjoying the racing experience and contributing to an exciting competition alongside my opponents. I aim to exchange more racing insights and learn about the WRX rules”, she says.
“Through my participation, I want more people in China to develop a love for motorsports and make them aware of the opportunities to participate in international competitions. I hope to contribute to the development of motorsports in China through my efforts. This race will undoubtedly be a significant chapter in my career”, Zhang adds.
Zhang Yan started karting at 8 years old. In 2006 she joined the Yuche Silverstone Racing Team and started competing in Uk and then the rest of Europe. In that same year she achieved a 2nd place in the UK Formula Ford Championship, only to win it a couple years later in 2008. The same year she also won the Spanish BMW Formula Championship. Between 2008 and 2010 she also won the Beijing Racing Festival Junior Formula Championship and in 2010 she got a third place in the UK Junior Formula Championship.
These results allowed her to participate in some testing for the European F3 Formula between 2011 and 2012. She was the first Chinese female driver to achieve that.
In 2018, Zhang Yan returned to her home country and established a racing training institution. She also became a racing coach, dedicated to nurturing a new generation of Chinese racing athletes. And for this year, she intends to bring Rallycross to China by organizing the CRX competition.
