Formula One series zooms into view

Over 5,000 racers contested the qualifying rounds in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Foshan in Guangdong province.

"The beauty of Formula One e-sports is that, unlike other e-sports games, it has a lot of parallels to the real world, and all Formula One teams have their e-racing teams," said Julian Tan, head of digital business initiatives and e-sports at Formula One.

"It's also providing a more accessible way for people to engage in motor sports… because people cannot just jump into a Formula One car, but e-racing helps us bridge the gap."

Formula One is using e-sports to attract more fans, with China identified as a key market, according to Tan.

"We are beginning to see more and more Chinese fans start to embrace Formula One through e-racing," he said.

"I am confidant that we will see a Chinese driver, whether in real life or in the virtual world, make it to Formula One in the future."