The 2026 Shanghai Auto Culture Festival will open alongside the F1 Chinese Grand Prix on March 13 in Shanghai's Jiading district.

The 54-day auto culture festival, spanning both the F1 Chinese Grand Prix and the May Day holiday, is set to evolve into a large-scale carnival that fuses motorsports with cultural tourism, consumption, and auto industry.

This year's F1 Chinese Grand Prix is to be held from March 13 to 15, promising even more excitement for fans from around the world.

The Cadillac team joins the F1 championship this season as its 11th team and has signed Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu as its reserve driver. In the F1 Academy race, China's first female driver in the series, Shi Wei, will once again compete on her home circuit.

As an accompanying event of the F1 Chinese leg, the Checkered Flag Carnival will extend beyond its main venue at Jiading district to a new site at the West Bund area to connect the race track with key commercial hubs and cultural and tourism landmarks in the downtown, according to Juss Sports, the organizer of the event.

Jiading has also introduced specially-designed tourism routes tailored for auto enthusiasts, including one auto culture itinerary linking attractions such as the Shanghai Auto Museum and the Shanghai International Circuit.

In addition, visitors holding ticket stubs for auto-related events, including the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, CTCC China Touring Car Championship, and China GT championship, will be eligible for complementary admission or discounted entry at district landmarks.

Spectators seated in the E-stand during the championship will receive a Shanghai Pass card, granting multiple discounts in commercial complexes, restaurants, and hotels.

Source: Shanghai Observer