Racing ahead: A bittersweet experience

It is the rush of adrenaline that attracts the elite to motorsport at any circuit. The news that two new faces had joined the Formula 4 Chinese Championship at its second stop in Zhuhai this past weekend added to the excitement.

"I came here, even though I knew it would be a tough championship," said Irish driver Jordan Morgan Dempsey during a press conference after the event, explaining it was a long-awaited chance that he didn't want to miss.

The 18-year-old made his debut at Saturday's race, but he was soon disqualified because of a technical failure of his newly rebuilt car. During the second and third rounds, the much-anticipated Irish secured the second place by a very thin margin, with Daim Bin Hishammudin from Singapore coming first .

"In the battle between two biggies, there is no reason to believe that Jordan cannot win, apart from the unfavorable ranking for Sunday's rounds," Yang Xiaohan, a staff member of the event organizer, told China Daily website.

In an exclusive with China Daily website, Jordan expressed mixed feelings about the three races at Zhuhai. "I am very happy with my efforts after I lagged behind at the first several laps, but I am unhappy at my performance during the last round, where I had a real chance of winning."

It is the first time that Jordan, who used to race in the UK, has competed in an Asian country. "Compared with UK tournaments, it is a similar case in China where there are lots of aggressive drivers who don't give you an inch."

"What I could do is race quicker and quicker, and provide more stability in fast corners," he said.