Hillspeed has confirmed that Yuanpu Cui will join the team, having made a mid-season switch to the Markham Vale squad.
Cui, who is part of the Mercedes-AMG F1 Team’s Junior Programme, has been racing in GB3 this year in what is only his second season of single-seater competition at any level. Up to now his best result has been a double top six finish during the second event of the campaign at Zandvoort in The Netherlands.
Now, as the second half of the season begins at Silverstone GP Circuit this weekend, (2/3 August), the 17-year-old makes the switch to Derbyshire’s Hillspeed which has so far chalked up four race wins in GB3 this year, three for Freddie Slater and one for Kanato Le.
Starting out in karting in 2016, Cui was second in the Chinese Rotax Championship in his debut season and then put together a stellar career within Europe as he progressed through the ranks. Finishing runner-up in the Andrea Margutti Trophy in the OK Junior class in 2020, he then achieved his first title in 2021 when becoming Junior ROK Champion in the ROK Cup.
Cui made the move into cars last year in Formula 4 where he gained good experience in the F4 UAE Championship, a part campaign in the F4 Chinese Championship and a full season in the F4 British Championship certified by FIA.
In the Chinese series he attained two race wins, two pole positions and three fastest laps from four races contested. In British F4, he ended the season ninth overall with one victory and two other podiums and was second in the Rookie class standings.
Career history
2024
British F4 Championship - ninth overall with one win and two podiums
F4 Chinese Championship - two wins, two pole positions and three fastest laps from four races
F4 UAE
2023
Karting - WSK Super Master Series - OK
Karting - IAME Winter Cup - X30 Senior
2022
Karting - FIA Karting World Championship - OK
Karting - FIA Karting European Championship - OK
Karting - Champions of the Future - Winter Series - OK
Karting - Champions of the Future - OK
2021
Karting - ROK Cup Superfinal - Junior ROK - Champion
Karting - Italian ACI Karting Championship - X30 Junior
Karting - 26° South Garda Winter Cup - OK Junior
Karting - FIA Karting European Championship - OK Junior
Karting - Champions of the Future - OK Junior
Karting - WSK Final Cup - OK Junior
Karting - WSK Open Cup - OK Junior
Karting - WSK Euro Series - OK Junior
Karting - WSK Super Master Series - OK Junior
2020
Karting - 31° Andrea Margutti Trophy - OK Junior
Karting - Italian ACI Karting Championship - X30 Junior
Karting - IAME Euro Series 2021 - X30 Junior
Karting - WSK Open Cup - OK Junior
Karting - WSK Euro Series - OK Junior
Karting - 25° South Garda Winter Cup - Mini ROK
Karting - WSK Super Master Series - 60 Mini
Karting - WSK Champions Cup - Mini
Karting - Florida Winter Tour - Mini ROK
2019
Karting - Macao International Kart Grand Prix - Mini ROK - eighth
Karting - WSK Open Cup - 60 Mini - sixth
Karting - WSK Final Cup - 60 Mini
Karting - 48° Trofeo delle Industrie - 60 Mini
Karting - ROK Cup Superfinal - Mini ROK
Karting - Florida Winter Tour - Mini ROK
Karting - WSK Euro Series - 60 Mini
Karting - 30° Trofeo Andrea Margutti - 60 Mini
Karting - WSK Super Master Series - 60 Mini
Karting - 24° South Garda Winter Cup - Mini ROK
2018
Karting - ROK the Rio - Mini ROK
2017
Karting - IAME International Final - X30 Mini
2016
Karting - RMC Grand Finals - Micro Max
