Shanghai auto festival starts, to run till May end

The 12th Shanghai Auto Culture Festival began yesterday in Jiading district and runs till the end of May.

There will be forums, antique car and RV exhibitions, a karting festival, tours and more. The climax will be at the Shanghai International Circuit during the 2019 F1 Chinese Grand Prix. This year's event will be the 1,000th race of the F1 World Championship, and is scheduled from April 12 to 14.

"Letting Shanghai host the memorable 1,000th race is a kind of recognition of the city and the status of its auto industry," Wang Hao, vice director of Jiading District, said at the opening ceremony of the festival at Shanghai Poly Grand Theater yesterday.

Jiading Auto Park will be set up near Shanghai International Circuit during this year's event. In the park, visitors will be able to try out racing simulators to experience the thrill of driving a race car. Hourly car rental operators EVCard will set up an interactive zone to tell visitors about the latest trends in car sharing.

A Ferrari Carnival is to be held at Shanghai International Circuit on May 24-26. The carnival features a sports car exhibition, a racing simulator competition, driving skill performances and more.

During the festival, nearly 100 vintage cars will be on show at Jiading's Shanghai Auto Museum. At Shanghai International Circuit's Kart World, discounts will be offered during the festival to allow more people to experience the sport of karting.