CTCC "Generation Z" driver Dai Yuhao's dream-chasing journey

There is no doubt that the 2024 CTCC China Automobile Circuit Professional League is a season for the rise of many rising stars. The emergence of many new generation drivers born after 2000 has brought a strong storm of youth to the arena. Their appearance not only means that Chinese motorsport has been injected with fresh blood from the younger generation, but also that their excellent skills, outstanding performance and outstanding results have allowed these "new waves" to gain a firm foothold in the fiercely competitive national professional competition battlefield.

Dai Yuhao, a young driver from the NKODA HW POINTER RACING team, is one of the outstanding representatives. In his first full season of CTCC, Dai Yuhao teamed up with many strong teammates to compete in the Sports Cup A-1 category, winning six rounds throughout the year and winning the A-1 category annual driver championship with a very dominant performance! Dai Yuhao has achieved a dazzling milestone at the beginning of his racing career, and this triumph has given him the record of being the first post-00s annual champion in the history of CTCC events.

Inseparable bond with racing

Like many people who love car culture and racing, Dai Yuhao also planted the seeds of his racing dream since childhood. He recalled: "I still remember the first time I watched the F1 race on TV when I was a kid. Alonso was invincible at that time, and he eventually became the world champion. Since then, I have been deeply attracted to it and fell in love with various racing competitions, car models and remote control cars. Although I rarely had the opportunity to get in touch with racing cars while growing up, it was not until 2023 that I met the HW Racing Racing Experience Center and started my simulated racing career. My dream of racing was immediately ignited again."

Hard training on the simulator helped Dai Yuhao gradually establish the foundation for driving a racing car, and continuous improvement and progress also allowed him to see the possibility of completing the transition from "virtual" to "reality". "By chance, I entered the field of simulated racing. After a period of training, I think the simulator can really help me improve my racing skills at a low cost and high efficiency. When I achieved some results in simulated racing, I made up my mind to obtain a racing license, participate in the competition, and test my training results in real competitions."

From virtual to reality

Although simulated racing has unique advantages in assisting drivers to master the basic tricks of track driving and become familiar with the track, the differences in vehicles in the real environment, the huge G-value impact caused by high speed, the physical consumption, the competitive pressure brought by the competition, and the risks of close-range fighting between vehicles all bring various challenges to drivers.

Although "a newborn calf is not afraid of a tiger", Dai Yuhao did not act blindly when he entered the cockpit of the racing car. He calmly believes that it is crucial to establish a reverence for speed: "The first feeling when you really drive a racing car is more of an unknown fear. After getting in the car, you must first familiarize yourself with the correct operation of the vehicle, as if everything has to start from scratch. In the real world, speed will have a much greater impact on the visual and physical senses. Therefore, you still need to maintain a reverence for speed in order to think better."

Be the best version of yourself

In the second race of the year, at the Shanghai Jiading Station, Dai Yuhao welcomed his first CTCC competition on the extremely difficult F1 track. He lived up to expectations and stood on the highest position on the group podium in the second round final. In the middle of the season, Dai Yuhao and his teammates worked closely together and won consecutive victories, expanding the number of wins to four, and gradually established a leading advantage in the Sports Cup A-1 category. Facing the challenges of new tracks, high temperatures, rainy weather, long-distance driving, etc., Dai Yuhao, as a rookie driver, showed strong adaptability and stable output. In the second half of the season, Dai Yuhao became more and more courageous, and he was on the podium in every round of the game. He also swept the championship trophy in the two finals of the final battle in Zhuzhou, Hunan.

Looking back on the new experiences over the past year, Dai Yuhao has experienced the joy of winning the championship and the reversal of winning the championship after an accident. The thrilling moments such as the tire burst and crossing the finish line are still fresh in his mind. These scenes have become a wonderful story in the prelude of his racing dream.

In the face of honor, Dai Yuhao also remains humble. He still feels annoyed about the mistakes and regrets that occurred in the race, and keeps thinking about ways to improve. He is grateful for the efforts of the team and his teammates, and hopes to learn more from these already strong racers. He also makes friends on the track, discusses driving methods together, and looks forward to making progress together. His current racing goal is to do his best: "After ensuring his own stable performance, opportunities will come naturally."

From simulated racing to the nationally renowned CTCC, Dai Yuhao bravely took the first step on the road to his racing dream. He hopes to inspire more people on the same path through his own story and contribute to China's racing sports. He can realize his childhood dream bit by bit, and he admits that he will continue to work hard on the ground, find his position, and become a real professional.

For Dai Yuhao, the world of racing is still vast. He will carry the most sincere feelings and continue to race at full speed on the road of pursuing his dreams.