Who is Ma Qing Hua and why does he matter?
You may not have heard of Ma Qing Hua, but his young driver test for HRT at Silverstone heralds an important step for Chinese motorsport as it aims to increases its footprint in Formula 1. Tom Mallett profiles the 24 year old
When Ma Qing Hua finished speaking to the Chinese media he had to go back into the HRT pit garage at Silverstone to wipe away his tears. The 24 year-old was crying; not because the morning had gone badly, but because he had just become the first Chinese-born driver to test a grand prix car in an official Formula 1 session.
National pride is very significant for Qing Hua. "I am very proud for my country, very lucky to be the first one," he says. "It is a good start for Chinese motorsport and I hope I can stay here."
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