finance
China Debuts First Domestically Produced Racing Fuel at Taklimakan Rally
China introduced its first mass-produced racing-grade fuel at the 2026 China Taklimakan Rally in Urumqi. The fuel was developed by Sinopec Group institutes and Zhenhai Refining & Chemical.
May 17, 7:00 AM·1m read1 source
South China Morning PostAudio version
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China’s first domestically developed fuel designed for motor racing debuted at the 2026 China Taklimakan Rally in Urumqi on Saturday. The fuel has been designated as the official fuel for the long-distance off-road event held mainly in Xinjiang. State broadcaster CCTV described the product as filling a gap in the domestic market.
The racing-grade petrol was jointly developed by two research institutes under the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Group) along with Zhenhai Refining & Chemical, an integrated refining and petrochemical enterprise based in Ningbo. For years, China’s motor racing sector relied on imported products, with some teams blending their own fuel to meet engine requirements.
According to CCTV, this created long procurement times, high costs and supply chain instability.
The fuel launch follows recent international results for Chinese motorsports equipment. Last month, Chongqing-based manufacturer ZXMOTO saw its 820RR-RS model win two races in the World Supersport class of the Superbike World Championship with French rider Valentin Debise.
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