SEPTEMBER 26, 2003

Why Formula 1 wants to be in China

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers says that China's domestic car makers have sold more cars in the first eight months of this year than in the whole of 2002 with sales leaping 73% on the previous year between January and August.

The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers says that China's domestic car makers have sold more cars in the first eight months of this year than in the whole of 2002 with sales leaping 73% on the previous year between January and August. The number of cars is still relatively small when compared with the size of the population but a market of 1.2m cars is not to be sniffed at in these difficult economic times. The signs are that the demand will grow as more cars come on to the markets and people see the spread of car ownership in the country. Several car companies are working to produce special low cost automobiles to help bring China into the mainstream. The arrival of Formula 1 in China is going to help that process and the car manufacturers involved in the sport hope that their sales will be boosted by the publicity from the race.