Sunday July 18th, 2004
Sauber driver Felipe Massa thrilled the locals of Shanghai, China, when he ran demonstration laps around the city's street circuit of Pudong today.
Along with the team's test driver Neel Jani, Brazilian Massa reached speeds of 270 km/h in the Sauber C22, on a specially created 2.8 kilometre road course in the district of Pudong. The Formula One demonstration was part of an action-packed weekend in the heart of Shanghai, which ended with the German Touring Car race (DTM).
"I'm very proud to show to the enthusiastic citizens of Shanghai and China what Formula One is all about," said Massa after his demonstration runs. "Honestly, I really enjoyed the opportunity to give the people a feeling of the passion, speed and sound that are such key elements of our sport. Formula One has a massive following and this year China will become a member of the family as it hosts the 16th round of the 18-race FIA Formula One World Championship."
China will host its first Formula One Grand Prix in September this year.
Published at 17:46:26 GMT