From Nürburgring to Global Networks: Race Tracks Become Carmakers’ New Arena
8月14日，比亚迪郑州全地形赛车场和合肥赛车场相继开业，引发行业广泛关注。比亚迪此前宣布将在全球投资50亿元打造全地形赛车场网络，绍兴项目也将于明年初投入使用。从欧洲的纽博格林到亚洲的新兴赛车场，越来越多车企将目光投向赛车运动及其背后的商业生态。
长期以来，德国纽博格林北环赛道（Nürburgring Nordschleife）被视为汽车性能的“试金石”。无论是大众、宝马、保时捷还是中国自主品牌，都曾通过“刷圈速”向市场证明车辆的操控与性能。但随着消费者对汽车文化、驾驶体验的兴趣日益浓厚，仅依靠远在欧洲的赛道营销，已无法满足市场对沉浸式体验的需求。车企在“家门口”投资建设赛道，正是为了让性能验证、赛车文化与消费者触手可及。
这种布局不仅服务于营销，更承载了多重战略考量。首先，赛车场已成为技术验证与研发的重要场景。复杂地形和高强度驾驶条件能揭示车辆在极端环境下的表现，为后续量产提供数据支持。其次，它们还是培养赛车人才与传播汽车文化的平台。以吉利为例，其通过铭泰集团建成宁波、成都、武汉等赛道，并布局国际项目，结合赛事运营与青训体系，形成完整的赛车生态。
从商业维度看，赛车场的潜力也在释放。除了承办专业赛事与车企试驾外，面向公众的驾驶体验、安全培训、赛事文化活动逐渐兴起，带动酒店、旅游、零部件等相关产业发展，形成“赛车+”的多元经济生态。这种产业协同不仅加速汽车文化沉淀，也推动零部件创新与供应链升级。
但挑战依旧存在。赛道建设投资巨大，盈利周期长，市场培育难度高，还需在政策、土地、人才等层面获得支持。但随着新能源汽车快速迭代、消费者需求升级，以及各国对汽车文化和运动的政策鼓励，赛车场正成为车企品牌建设、产品优化和产业联动的新抓手。
从纽北的圈速纪录，再到全球车企积极构建赛车生态，赛车场已不再是小众运动的舞台，而是汽车产业转型升级的重要支点。对于全球车企而言，这场赛道竞赛比拼的不仅是速度，更是战略眼光与未来格局。
On August 14, BYD inaugurated new all-terrain race tracks in Zhengzhou and Hefei, drawing attention to a growing global trend. BYD had previously announced plans to invest 5 billion yuan globally to build a network of off-road racing tracks, with the Shaoxing project set to begin operations early next year. From Germany’s Nürburgring to Asia’s emerging circuits, race tracks are becoming strategic assets in brand building and consumer outreach.
For decades, Nürburgring lap times have symbolized engineering prowess, attracting automakers from Volkswagen to Porsche to Chinese brands. Yet, as consumers increasingly seek immersive driving experiences, relying solely on distant tracks is no longer sufficient. Building race tracks closer to home allows manufacturers to merge performance testing, brand promotion, and consumer engagement.
These facilities serve multiple purposes. They provide rigorous environments to validate vehicle performance under extreme conditions, generate valuable R&D data, and nurture motorsport culture and talent. Geely, for example, has built a network of tracks in Ningbo, Chengdu, and Wuhan, and operates major racing series alongside youth driver training programs—creating a comprehensive motorsport ecosystem.
The commercial dimension is also expanding. Beyond professional events and automaker testing, race tracks are opening to the public with driving experiences, safety courses, and cultural activities. This integration stimulates related sectors such as tourism, hospitality, and automotive components, forming a broader “racing+ economy.”
Challenges remain: high capital costs, long payback periods, and slow market cultivation. However, with accelerating EV innovation, rising consumer expectations, and supportive policies across major markets, motorsport infrastructure is emerging as a key tool for brand differentiation, product refinement, and industry collaboration.
From Nürburgring lap records to global automakers actively building racing ecosystems, race tracks are evolving from niche playgrounds to strategic assets. For global automakers, the race is not only about speed but also about vision, positioning, and long-term competitiveness.