No Ordinary Game: Teaming up with Chinese sporting icons
Ahead of our Chinese Grand Prix debut we teamed up with celebrated athletes across the sporting spectrum to connect cultures through sport. We look back on some of the collaborations that conjured moments out of the ordinary.
As F1 returned to China for the first time in five years, we set our sights on merging cultures through sport – harnessing its power to excite, inspire and connect fans.
From snooker champions, speed skaters, and swimmers, to basketballers, footballers and table tennis players, China has given birth to some of sport's brightest stars, and we teamed up with a selection of them to create some unmissable content.
Crossing the white line
We started our week in China by joining Shanghai Port FC for their Tuesday training session.
Jessica Hawkins and members of our team met Chinese footballing legend Wu Lei, as well as Brazilian superstar and former Chelsea player Oscar, as a shirt swap took place and they were put through their paces on the pitch.
Shooting hoops
Fernando Alonso demonstrated he's not just a phenomenal racing driver, but also skilled when trading a steering wheel for a basketball.
Swapping the racetrack for the court in the Chinese Grand Prix paddock, he joined Chinese Basketball Association stars to take on the Aramco shootout challenge, with him emerging victorious.
Tackling table tennis
Finally, our Aston Martin Aramco Driver Squad members picked up their bats to take on one of China's best-ever table tennis players with a twist.
While our team used regular bats, Deng Yaping, a four-time Olympic gold medal winner, had to use whatever apparatus she could find in the paddock to compete, showcasing her hugely impressive talent.
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