Zhenrui Chi
Chinese racing driver (born 2009)
Zhenrui "Newman" Chi (Chinese: 池振睿; pinyin: Chí Zhèn Ruì; born 28 March 2009) is a Chinese racing driver who currently competes under the Italian flag in the Formula Regional European Championship for MP Motorsport as part of the AMF1 Driver Development Programme.
Chi is a race winner in the Italian F4 Championship for Prema Racing, finishing fifth in 2025.
01Career
Karting (2014-2023)
Chi began karting at the age of five, initially racing in China before moving to Europe in 2019. Internationally, Chi most notably finished third in the 2021 Trofeo Delle Industrie, and second in the 2022 WSK Champions Cup, both in OK-J.
Formula 4 (2024-2025)
2024
Chi was initially slated to make his single-seater debut in the 2024 Formula 4 UAE Championship, but instead opted to test F4 machinery for much of the year, before eventually making his single-seater debut with Prema Racing in the inaugural season of Formula Trophy UAE. In the three-round season, Chi finished third on his debut at Dubai, before ending the season with a second-place finish in race one at Yas Marina and a pole position in race two on his way to fifth in points.
2025
Staying with Prema Racing for 2025, Chi drove with them for the inaugural season of the F4 Middle East Championship, along with a dual programme in both the Italian F4 and E4 Championships. In the former, he finished fifth in the season-opening race at Yas Marina, which turned out to be his season-best result, matching it at Dubai and the third Yas Marina round on his way to ninth in the overall standings and runner-up in the rookies'.
Heading to Europe for the rest of the year, Chi finished fifth on his Italian F4 debut at Misano, and finished the other two races to leave Misano ninth in the overall standings and second in the rookies'. Following the round at Vallelunga, where Chi finished no higher than ninth, the Chinese finished the first two races at Monza outside the points before taking his maiden win in single-seaters in race three, having taken the lead in the closing stages. In the following round at Mugello, Chi once again stood on the podium as he finished second behind Alex Powell in race two, before finishing third in race three at Imola three weeks later as he completed a Prema Racing 1-2-3. Chi then ended the year by finishing second in race two at Misano en route to a fifth-place finish in his only season in the series. In E4 meanwhile, Chi scored a best result of fifth in race two at Monza and closed out the three-round campaign 12th in points.
Formula Regional (2025-)
2025
During 2025, Chi joined CL Motorsport in Formula Regional Europe to make his debut in Formula Regional competition at the Red Bull Ring. Competing in the Red Bull Ring and Hockenheimring rounds, he scored a best result of 17th in race two of the latter round. Towards the end of the year, Chi made a one-off appearance for Hillspeed in the GB3 Championship, as well as competing in the Macau Grand Prix for Van Amersfoort Racing.
2026
During the winter, Chi raced in the Formula Regional Middle East Trophy with CL Motorsport. In the four-round winter series, Chi scored a best result of sixth in race two at Dubai en route to a 16th-place points finish. For his main campaign, Chi joined MP Motorsport to compete in the Formula Regional European Championship. In his maiden season in FREC, Chi scored a best result of fourth three times en route to an eighth-place finish in points.
Formula One
In April 2026, Chi was announced as a member of the Aston Martin Driver Development Programme.
02Karting record
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Rotax Max Challenge China, Micro B | SKA | |
| 2017 | Rotax Max Challenge China, Micro A | ||
| 2018 | China Karting Championship, Mini | ||
| Rotax Max Challenge Chinese Cup, Micro | |||
| Rok Cup China, Micro Rok | |||
| 2019 | WSK Champions Cup, 60 Mini | Parolin Motorsport | NC |
| WSK Super Master Series, 60 Mini | Parolin Motorsport Energy Corse Srl |
64th | |
| South Garda Winter Cup, Mini Rok | Energy Corse Srl | NC | |
| WSK Euro Series, 60 Mini | 69th | ||
| Andrea Margutti Trophy, 60 Mini | 20th | ||
| WSK Open Cup, 60 Mini | 32nd | ||
| WSK Final Cup, 60 Mini | 29th | ||
| 2020 | China Karting Championship, Mini | ||
| WSK Champions Cup, 60 Mini | Gamoto ASD | NC | |
| WSK Super Master Series, 60 Mini | 57th | ||
| South Garda Winter Cup, Mini Rok | 24th | ||
| WSK Open Cup, 60 Mini | 41st | ||
| 2021 | WSK Champions Cup, 60 Mini | Babyrace Driver Academy | 18th |
| WSK Super Master Series, 60 Mini | 29th | ||
| Andrea Margutti Trophy, 60 Mini | 11th | ||
| WSK Euro Series, 60 Mini | 30th | ||
| IAME Euro Series, X30 Junior | Team Driver Racing Kart | 44th | |
| IAME Warriors Final, X30 Junior | 20th | ||
| WSK Open Cup, OKJ | KR Motorsport | 57th | |
| Trofeo Delle Industrie, OKJ | Beyond Racing Team | 3rd | |
| South Garda Winter Cup, OKJ | 19th | ||
| WSK Final Cup, OKJ | 24th | ||
| 2022 | WSK Champions Cup, OKJ | Beyond Racing Team | 2nd |
| Andrea Margutti Trophy, OKJ | 11th | ||
| WSK Euro Series, OKJ | 46th | ||
| Karting World Championship, OKJ | 24th | ||
| WSK Open Cup, OKJ | 6th | ||
| Trofeo Delle Industrie, OKJ | 7th | ||
| WSK Final Cup, OKJ | 9th | ||
| WSK Super Master Series, OKJ | KR Motorsport | 45th | |
| Champions of the Future Winter Series, OKJ | 7th | ||
| Champions of the Future Euro Series, OKJ | 35th | ||
| Karting European Championship, OKJ | 41st | ||
| Italian Karting Championship, OKJ | NC | ||
| 2023 | South Garda Winter Cup, OK | Beyond Racing Team | 13th |
| WSK Champions Cup, OK | 10th | ||
| WSK Super Master Series, OK | 32nd | ||
| Champions of the Future, OK | 51st | ||
| Karting European Championship, OK | 96th | ||
| Sources: | |||
03Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Formula Trophy UAE | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 54 | 5th |
| 2025 | F4 Middle East Championship | Prema Racing | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 | 9th |
| Italian F4 Championship | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 162 | 5th | ||
| E4 Championship | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 12th | ||
| Formula Regional European Championship | CL Motorsport | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33rd | |
| GB3 Championship | Hillspeed | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | |
| Macau Grand Prix | Van Amersfoort Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | , N/a | DNF | |
| 2026 | Formula Regional Middle East Trophy | CL Motorsport | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 16th |
| Formula Regional European Championship | MP Motorsport | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 73 | 8th | |
| Sources: | |||||||||
* Season still in progress.
Complete Formula Trophy UAE results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited | DUB 1 3 |
DUB 2 11 |
DUB 3 14 |
YMC1 1 4 |
YMC1 2 10 |
YMC2 1 2 |
YMC2 2 6 |
5th | 54 |
Complete F4 Middle East Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Prema Racing | YMC1 1 5 |
YMC1 2 13 |
YMC1 3 7 |
YMC2 1 11 |
YMC2 2 10 |
YMC2 3 9 |
DUB 1 5 |
DUB 2 24 |
DUB 3 12 |
YMC3 1 7 |
YMC3 2 5 |
YMC3 3 Ret |
LUS 1 9 |
LUS 2 9 |
LUS 3 7 |
9th | 78 |
Complete Italian F4 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Prema Racing | MIS1 1 5 |
MIS1 2 |
MIS1 3 7 |
MIS1 4 9 |
VLL 1 9 |
VLL 2 9 |
VLL 3 |
VLL 4 28 |
MNZ 1 28 |
MNZ 2 17 |
MNZ 3 1 |
MUG 1 9 |
MUG 2 2 |
MUG 3 8 |
IMO 1 6 |
IMO 2 C |
IMO 3 3 |
CAT 1 4 |
CAT 2 7 |
CAT 3 C |
MIS2 1 |
MIS2 2 2 |
MIS2 3 5 |
MIS2 4 4 |
MIS2 5 4 |
5th | 162 |
Complete E4 Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Prema Racing | LEC 1 8 |
LEC 2 Ret |
LEC 3 18 |
MUG 1 29† |
MUG 2 10 |
MUG 3 8 |
MNZ 1 14 |
MNZ 2 5 |
MNZ 3 27† |
12th | 19 |
Complete Formula Regional European Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | DC | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | CL Motorsport | MIS 1 |
MIS 2 |
SPA 1 |
SPA 2 |
ZAN 1 |
ZAN 2 |
HUN 1 |
HUN 2 |
LEC 1 |
LEC 2 |
IMO 1 |
IMO 2 |
RBR 1 Ret |
RBR 2 22 |
CAT 1 |
CAT 2 |
HOC 1 24 |
HOC 2 17 |
MNZ 1 |
MNZ 2 |
33rd | 0 |
| 2026 | MP Motorsport | RBR 1 4 |
RBR 2 5 |
RBR 3 22 |
ZAN 1 8 |
ZAN 2 5 |
SPA 1 Ret |
SPA 2 C |
SPA 3 11 |
MNZ 1 6 |
MNZ 2 4 |
MNZ 3 12 |
HUN 1 15 |
HUN 2 26 |
LEC 1 6 |
LEC 2 7 |
IMO 1 14 |
IMO 2 26 |
IMO 3 23 |
HOC 1 4 |
HOC 2 15 |
8th | 73 |
* Season still in progress.
Complete Macau Grand Prix results
| Year | Team | Car | Qualifying | Quali Race | Main Race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Van Amersfoort Racing | Tatuus F3 T-318 | 26th | 26th | DNF |
Complete Formula Regional Middle East Trophy results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Zhenrui Chi”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Italian F4 2025 - Mugello - Zhenrui Chi, Newman Chi.jpg by Road Atlanta Turn 5, CC BY-SA 4.0
- F4 Italy 2025 Mugello Nr. 28 Chi (2).jpg by Lukas Raich, CC BY-SA 4.0
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