China’s motorsports industry continues to rev up with first race-grade fuel

China’s first domestically developed fuel designed for motor racing has made its debut at a rally in the western deserts in what state media hailed as a milestone for the country’s oil refining industry.

As the first of its kind to be mass-produced in China, the fuel was described by state broadcaster CCTV as “filling a gap” in the domestic market, ending a long-standing reliance on imported fuel for high-level competitions.

The new racing-grade petrol was unveiled on Saturday at the opening ceremony of the 2026 China Taklimakan Rally in Urumqi – a long-distance off-road event held mainly in Xinjiang – where it has been designated as the official fuel.

It was jointly developed by two research institutes under the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) alongside Zhenhai Refining & Chemical, the country’s largest integrated refining and petrochemical enterprise, based in the eastern city of Ningbo.

For years, China’s motor racing sector has been reliant on imported products, with some teams having to blend their own fuel to meet their specific engine requirements. According to CCTV, this has historically resulted in long procurement times, high costs and exposure to supply chain instability.

It is the latest advance in the Chinese motorsports industry. Last month, the Chongqing-based motorcycle manufacturer ZXMOTO sparked widespread online celebrations

when French rider Valentin Debise won two races in the World Supersport class of the Superbike World Championship aboard its 820RR-RS model.