Lv Jingxi, the other new face, said he focused more on learning instead of ranking. Lv, a 20-year-old from Guangzhou, fell short of expectations at each round. "As the first-time driver for F4, I was a little bit nervous," he said to China Daily website.

He added that driving on his own for the first time was exciting and entertaining but also a scary experience – a feeling that the shouting and screaming audience at the stands (he used to be one of them) know pretty well.

Since Lv was studying abroad for the past four years, he missed the chance to participate in the motorsports held in his motherland since 2014.

"I do love motorsport and I want to race more."

Contact the writer at liuhui1@chinadaily.com.cn