Aston Martin has introduced that Zhenrui Chi has joined its Driver Academy.
The 17-year-old, thought to be one among China’s most promising younger drivers, turns into the most recent addition to the Academy’s increasing roster because the group continues to strengthen its long-term pathway for creating rising expertise from throughout the worldwide motorsport panorama.
As a member of the group’s academy, Zhenrui will race in an Aston Martin-liveried automotive, introducing the marque’s iconic inexperienced to the Formulation Regional grid.
Zhenrui’s signing follows a complete choice course of carried out by the group’s Driver Academy programme, which first noticed him driving at its analysis day in Mugello earlier than monitoring his spectacular 2025 marketing campaign. Over the course of the season, he demonstrated constant front-running tempo and race-craft throughout European and Center East F4 classes, delivering a sequence of standout performances that underlined his expertise.
As a part of the Academy, Zhenrui will participate in a tailor-made improvement programme designed to help each side of his motorsport development. The programme contains race-craft mentorship from skilled group personnel each trackside and on the AMR Know-how Campus, bodily conditioning, and a devoted media and communications coaching to arrange him for the calls for {of professional} motorsport.
„Becoming a member of the Aston Martin Aramco Formulation One Staff household is a big honour for me,“ stated Zhenrui. „It is an awesome accountability, but in addition an unbelievable alternative and motivation to maintain pushing myself to the following degree.
„Figuring out that I’ve the help of such an iconic group, with all its expertise and experience, provides me loads of confidence for the journey forward. I do know the street would require laborious work and dedication, and I am absolutely conscious that I’ve to proceed to show I deserve this chance. I am prepared to present every little thing I’ve and I can not wait to start out this journey with Aston Martin Aramco.“
„Zhenrui is strictly the type of expertise our Academy exists to seek out,“ added Nuno Pinto, Racing Director, Aston Martin Aramco Formulation One Staff Driver Academy. „We first noticed him at an analysis take a look at in Mugello and had been instantly impressed by his potential and method. We then adopted his progress via the remainder of the 2025 season, the place he confirmed not solely tempo but in addition robust consistency in probably the most aggressive junior classes in racing, Italian F4.
„We’re delighted to welcome him to the Academy and to help his improvement via our programme at Silverstone. With the sources of the AMR Know-how Campus and the atmosphere we’ve got constructed round our drivers, we consider we may also help him to proceed to develop. This can be a long-term partnership, and we’re trying ahead to the journey forward collectively.“
Born on March 28, 2009, in Wenzhou, Zhenrui – nicknamed Newman – has emerged as one among Asia’s most promising abilities. After a profitable 2024 debut within the F4 Center East Trophy, Zhenrui demonstrated immense development in 2025. Competing within the F4 Championship, he achieved a dominant victory and quickest lap at Monza within the Italian F4 Championship, alongside 4 podium finishes. His 2025 season included appearances within the Euro 4 Championship, Formulation Regional European Championship, and the 72nd Macau Grand Prix – FIA FR World Cup, showcasing his readiness for the challenges of a top-tier motorsport profession.
