More intl faces join F4 circuit in Shanghai

More and more international faces joined race teams over the past weekend in Shanghai, setting the city apart from previous stops on the Formula 4 Chinese Championship event.

This stop grabbed more of the international spotlight as the races kicked off at the newly-named SAIC International Circuit.

The race track is about 5.451 kilometers and is shaped like the Chinese character "Shang". Rather than racing on a traditional oval, some sections of this high-speed track curve out and down. That means a race can easily develop into a thrilling, action film-like adventure.

Designed for Formula 1, the speedway is geared for drivers on the level of F4, Hi-Tiger China Formula Grand Prix and Blancpain GT Series Asia starting from Saturday.

"I raced here for the first time last year, and that challenging race left a deep impression on me. This year, I decided to race here again," said South Korean F4 driver Kang Min-Jae.

Kang raced into the top five at this stop but he was not very satisfied with his performance. "Given my lack of experience, that was about all I could expect," he said.

He said he tried his best to regain control of his vehicle at every curved point. That means he could slow down to stay balanced but it increased the distance between his car and those ahead, he explained.

The track inspired Kang, 33, to race, and he said he will participate in the entire season next year, even if by racing standards he's already middle aged. He said he could either drive himself or coach others. No matter what career he chooses, Kang said he might not leave racing or racing events.