Leveraging Motorsport as an Engine to Build a "World-Class Hub for Intelligent and Connected Vehicles"

BEIJING, Oct. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The 2025 GT World Challenge Beijing E-Town Round will take place from October 17 to 19, 2025, in the Tongming Lake area of Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town), marking the return of a top-tier international motorsport event to Beijing after nearly a decade.

Wu Pengfei, Deputy Chief Engineer at the Policy Research & Consulting Center of the China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI), stated: "This GT World Challenge event is not only a global arena for showcasing cutting-edge intelligent and connected vehicle (ICV) technologies, but also a strategic opportunity for Beijing E-Town to demonstrate its industrial strength as a 'world-class hub for intelligent and connected vehicles' through motorsport-driven industrial advancement. The race weekend will deliver a spectacular fusion of speed and technology -- and serve as a strategic cornerstone in E-Town's mission to build itself into a 'world-class hub for intelligent and connected vehicles.'"

I. Showcasing E-Town's Threefold Competitive Advantages

Beijing E-Town has cultivated a distinctive industrial edge by integrating intelligent connected technologies with new energy vehicles. Its comprehensive strengths are reflected in three key areas:

First, innovation-driven industrial foundations: E-Town has built a world-leading, full-spectrum industrial chain for intelligent and new energy vehicles. In 2024, the sector generated over RMB 260 billion in total output value, anchored by OEMs like Beijing Benz and supported by core component suppliers such as ZF, Bosch, and Asia-Pacific Mechanical & Electronic. The area hosts national-level platforms including the National Innovation Center of Intelligent and Connected Vehicles (CICV) and the E-Town Base of National New Energy Vehicle Technology Innovation Center (NEVC), and is home to over 100 ICV enterprises -- including Pony.ai, Horizon Robotics, and Black Sesame Technologies. Moreover, E-Town operates the largest Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration application base in China, offering real-world validation environments for intelligent connectivity, new energy systems, and high-performance components. This dual-engine ecosystem -- combining advanced manufacturing with deep-tech innovation -- is an advantage few traditional automotive hubs in China can match.

Second, strategic positioning at the national level: As Beijing's only national-level economic and technological development zone and a core area under the city's "Two Zones" Initiative (comprising the Integrated National Demonstration Zone for Opening up the Services Sector and the Pilot Free Trade Zone), E-Town enjoys special policy authorizations in areas such as cross-border data flows and testing of intelligent connected products -- creating an ideal environment for motorsport innovation. E-Town serves as the central node of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei ICV and new energy vehicle cluster, and has outlined an industrial blueprint known as the "One Port, Four Bases" layout -- featuring the Intelligent and Connected Vehicle Innovation Port and the Automotive Industry Headquarters Base, among others. This vision creates a strategic synergy with the global prestige of the GT World Challenge, reinforcing E-Town's ambition to become the "E-Town Auto Intelligence & Innovation City." 

Third, unique geographic and scenario-based advantages: Located at the heart of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei coordinated development zone, E-Town benefits from seamless international connectivity via Daxing International Airport and the Yizhuang intercity railway hub, ensuring efficient access for international racing teams and technical experts. The Tongming Lake venue sits at the core of E-Town's Intelligent and Connected Vehicle Innovation Port, directly embedded within the 600-square-kilometer High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone. This integration of urban public roads and purpose-built track sections creates a multi-layered, real-world scenario network -- providing end-to-end support for international logistics, technology validation, and spectator experience.

II. Driving High-Quality Regional Developmentthrough Motorsport

Beijing E-Town is accelerating its transformation into a "world-class hub for intelligent and connected vehicles," a vision that closely aligns with the core characteristics of the GT World Challenge. The alignment manifests in three dimensions.

First, deep integration of technological attributes: Modern GT racing has evolved beyond pure speed -- it is now a premier platform for showcasing advanced automotive technologies. This resonates powerfully with E-Town's leadership in Vehicle-Road-Cloud Integration and "large-model + autonomous driving" innovations. The extreme conditions of the racetrack become a real-world R&D driver for next-generation technologies.

Second, panoramic demonstration of an industrial ecosystem: The event will help forge an integrated ecosystem of "world-class motorsport + mobility experience + future transportation," vividly illustrating E-Town's co-evolution of manufacturing, smart mobility, intelligent infrastructure, and future urban living -- offering global audiences a live showcase of ICV applications across real-world scenarios.

Third, practical support for standardization: E-Town leads the development of numerous national and industry standards for intelligent connected vehicles. Data collected during the race -- especially under extreme operating conditions -- will directly inform revisions to safety protocols and testing specifications, enabling race-derived insights to feed back into industrial standards and positioning Chinese standards as a benchmark for technical certification across the Asia-Pacific region.

As a globally recognized motorsport IP, the GT World Challenge will generate concrete, sustainable momentum across three dimensions:

As an accelerator for industrial upgrading,  the event will bring together OEM technical teams and component suppliers across the globe, facilitating direct collaboration with E-Town enterprises. Technologies tested under racing conditions -- such as extreme-performance materials and intelligent control systems -- can be adapted for mass-market vehicles. Algorithms used in race cars can also inform the development of autonomous decision-making systems at companies like Pony.ai and Baidu Apollo. Additionally, the demand for high-precision sensors and real-time data transmission equipment will stimulate upgrades in E-Town's local electronics and information technology supply chain.

As a catalyst for international brand recognition,  this event -- Beijing's first top-tier international motorsport in nearly a decade -- will feature global broadcast coverage interwoven with live footage of E-Town's Intelligent and Connected Vehicle Innovation Port and High-Level Autonomous Driving Demonstration Zone, embedding E-Town's image in the global consciousness. The concurrent 2025 World Intelligent Connected Vehicles Conference (WICVC) will further highlight regional collaboration across the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei corridor, solidifying E-Town's reputation as a global ICV hub.

As a multiplier for consumer activation,  the race weekend will launch an integrated automotive tourism experience -- combining track experiences, tech exhibition halls, and test-drive camps -- sparking a car-themed carnival around Tongming Lake and boosting nearby commerce in dining, accommodation, and retail. By partnering with E-Town-based innovators like Xiaomi Smart Home and JD's autonomous retail solutions, the event will introduce bundled "smart mobility + smart living" experience packages, creating new touchpoints for consumer engagement.

III. Advancingtoward a World-Class ICV Hub

As the event that ends Beijing's decade-long absence of top-tier international motorsport, the GT World Challenge will elevate E-Town's visibility on the global automotive map and propel it toward becoming a "world-class hub for intelligent and connected vehicles". The impact will unfold through three key effects:

First, breakthrough global visibility:  The race will serve as a powerful showcase for China's ICV capabilities. Leveraging the GT World Challenge's global broadcast network, E-Town's industrial ecosystem will reach audiences in over 200 countries and regions, effectively filling a critical gap in the international communication of China's intelligent connected vehicle achievements.

Second, global resource aggregation:  As a premier platform for international automotive collaboration, the event will attract global OEMs and component suppliers to explore partnerships in E-Town. The zone can seize this opportunity to deepen cooperation in areas such as autonomous driving algorithms and functional safety technologies, and encourage international automakers to establish their Asia-Pacific ICV testing operations in E-Town -- capitalizing on its advanced testing scenarios and supportive policy environment.

Third, enhanced influence in standard-setting: E-Town has already led the formulation of over 20 national and industry standards in the ICV domain. Data gathered during the race under extreme operating conditions -- such as vehicle performance in high-speed, high-temperature environment and emergency response metrics from intelligent driving systems -- will further refine these standards and contribute empirical evidence to international standardization efforts. By co-hosting the GT World Challenge and the 2025 WICVC, E-Town will contribute Chinese expertise and solutions to the global stage, working with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to transition from a "hub of industrial excellence" to a "global leader in standard-setting."

Source: Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area (E-Town)

Contact person: Ms. E, Tel: 86-10-63074558