Born in Shiyan, the “City of Cars” in central China’s Hubei province, to parents who both worked for automakers, 24-year-old Xie Xinzhe probably has motor oil running through his veins. Young as he is, Xie is a seven-year veteran of professional racecar driving, and in 2012 he became the youngest winner in the history of the commercial vehicle division of the China Touring Car Championship.

To Xie, winning trumps everything. “Being number one is something I demand of myself,” he said. “I must not be number two. I cannot be number two. This thought pervades every facet of my life.” Since he was a kid playing with model cars, to becoming a professional racecar driver and winning championships, Xie said he has always been addicted to competition.

Outside of racing life, Xie recently graduated with a degree in “motorsport engineering,” and he is on track to study management at Imperial College London. Xie believes China’s racing industry has a lot of potential, and that professional and theoretical knowledge can help him compete at an even higher level.

[node:field_video_collection]