Martin Cao


Cao Hongwei, commonly known as Martin Cao, is a Chinese racing driver. He is the reigning champion of the TCR China [Touring Car Championship], having won the title in 2023, and previously won the 2014 [British Formula 3 International Series|2014 British Formula Three Championship].

Career

Asian championships

Born in Changsha, Hunan Province, Cao began karting in 1999 at the age of six, and would compete in the China National Karting Championship for the first time in 2003. In 2009, at the age of sixteen, Cao, alongside Zhu Daiwei, would become the first Chinese driver in history to compete in the FIA World Karting Championship.
Cao stepped up to single-seater racing in 2008, competing in the Chinese Formula Ford Campus Championship. He won five races and clinched the championship with an advantage of seven points. Also in 2008, Cao finished third with seven podiums in the Asian Formula Renault Challenge season|Asian Formula Renault Challenge] and also contested two races of the Formula BMW Pacific Championship, with Pacific Racing.
In Formula BMW Pacific season|2009], Cao remained in Formula BMW Pacific but switched to Ao's Racing. He had six point-scoring finishes in nine races, finishing twelfth in the championship.
In 2010 Formula Renault seasons#2010 [Asian Formula Renault Challenge season|2010], Cao returned to the Asian Formula Renault Challenge with the FRD Racing Team. He won five out of the six races he contested – one more than champion Sandy Stuvik – and finished fourth in the championship.

Protyre Formula Renault

In Formula Renault BARC season|2012], Cao moved to Europe and joined Fortec Motorsports to compete in Formula Renault BARC. He finished nine races in the points to take fourteenth position in the championship, with 100 points. He also finished fifth in the 2012 Formula Renault BARC Winter Series.
Cao remained with Fortec into 2013, staying in the newly renamed Protyre Formula Renault Championship. He won a race at Rockingham and finished fourth in the final championship standings. He finished runner-up to Ben Barnicoat in the Protyre Formula Renault Autumn Cup at Rockingham, winning one of the event's three races.

British Formula 3 Championship

Cao continued his collaboration with Fortec into the British Formula 3 Championship in 2014. He finished fifteen races on the podium, including four wins. He battled with his teammate Matt Rao for the title, and clinched the championship by just two points, ahead of Rao.

Racing record

Career summary

As Cao was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points.
* Season still in progress.

Complete FIA Formula 3 European Championship results

YearEntrantEngine123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233DCPoints
2015 [FIA Formula 3 European Championship|2015]Fortec MotorsportsMercedesSIL
1
23		SIL
2
17		SIL
3
23		HOC
1
18		HOC
2
18		HOC
3
21		PAU
1
21		PAU
2
16		PAU
3
24		MNZ
1
14		MNZ
2
17		MNZ
3
15		SPA
1
20		SPA
2
20		SPA
3
17		NOR
1		NOR
2		NOR
3		ZAN
1		ZAN
2		ZAN
3		RBR
1		RBR
2		RBR
3		ALG
1		ALG
2		ALG
3		NÜR
1		NÜR
2		NÜR
3		HOC
1		HOC
2		HOC
3		30th0

Complete TCR International Series results

YearTeamCar12345678910111213141516171819202122DCPoints
2016FRD MotorsportsFord Focus TCRBHR
1		BHR
2		EST
1		EST
2		SPA
1		SPA
2		IMO
1		IMO
2		SAL
1		SAL
2		OSC
1		OSC
2		SOC
1		SOC
2		CHA
1
13		CHA
2
12		Marina [Bay Street Circuit|MRN
1]		MRN
2		SEP
1		SEP
2		MAC
1		MAC
2		NC0

Complete TCR World Tour results

YearTeamCar1234567891011121314DCPoints
2024Hyundai N TeamHyundai Elantra N TCRVAL
1		VAL
2		MRK
1		MRK
2		Mid-Ohio [Sports Car Course|MOH
1]		MOH
2		SAP
1		SAP
2		ELP
1		ELP
2		ZHZ
1
12		ZHZ
2
13		MAC
1
8		MAC
2
11		14th25