China's first F1 driver, Zhou Guanyu, meanwhile, has been meeting with enthusiastic local fans.

On Tuesday, he appeared at the 2026 Checkered Flag Carnival in Xuhui's West Bund, hosting a meet-and-greet that drew hundreds of people from across the country. An exclusive exhibition dedicated to Zhou was unveiled to showcase his journey from junior karting to F1, featuring several unreleased photos. As a reserve driver for the Cadillac F1 Team, Zhou is the most prominent local figure at this year's Shanghai Grand Prix.

Racing-themed elements adorn every corner of the city. In early March, the Shanghai Metro debuted a LEGO F1 theme on Line 11, featuring racing designs, LEGO driver figurines and iconic race moments, quickly becoming a must-see attraction.

The flagship pre-race event, the Checkered Flag Carnival, opened on Sunday.

It connects four key venues — Xuhui West Bund, Jiading Shanghai International Circuit, Hongkou North Bund, and Baoshan Riverside — and runs through March 15.

Each venue offers unique highlights, including race screenings, themed car shows and riverside go-karting experiences.

"We hope these supporting events will broaden and deepen public participation while vividly showcasing our city's image and creative vitality," said Jiang Yunying, general manager of Shanghai Juce Culture and Media. She noted that last year's event attracted over 279,000 participants across just two venues.

Julia Janiak, a visitor from Poland, said after experiencing the Xuhui main venue: "It's my first time experiencing an event like this. It's massive with numerous activities, games and opportunities to see beautiful cars. There's a good chance we'll watch more F1 races after experiencing the carnival."

In preparation for the Grand Prix, the Shanghai International Circuit has undertaken numerous upgrades, enhancing both spectator facilities and services. The newly built Grandstand E, with a capacity of 5,000 spectators, overlooks Turns 11-13 and offers free shuttle buses for spectators.

The T16 CLUB Sprint Club beside the main straight has also been upgraded, featuring dual indoor and outdoor viewing areas with catering services, plus new viewing platforms at both ends of the spectator corridor to further elevate the fan experience.

Zhang Weiyao, deputy general manager of Shanghai Juss Sports Development Group, revealed that 74 percent of spectators are from outside Shanghai, with 14 percent of those being international visitors — a three percent year-on-year increase. Additionally, high-end hotels near the Jiading circuit have reached 90 percent capacity.

The Shanghai race will also feature the season's first F1 Academy, with Chinese driver Shi Wei again receiving a wildcard entry. At last year's race, she finished 14th in the second round. Shi is the second Chinese driver to compete at F1 level after Zhou, offering even more excitement for local fans and further raising expectations for Chinese motor sports.

"F1 is a ruthless sport — there is plenty of young talent every year, and time is limited for everyone," said Zhou ahead of the weekends racing action. "But I will do my best to fulfill my duties (with Cadillac), and I hope to fight my way back onto the grid."

Zheng Zheng and Li Junfeng contributed to this story.