Ma Qing Hua will join reigning FIA World Touring Car Cup champions Cyan Racing for the 2022 season, where he will race a Lynk & Co 03 TCR at the top level of the sport.
Ma last raced in WTCR in 2019, having contested a part-season in 2018 with Boutsen Ginion Racing in as Honda before being signed for a full season the following year with the Team Mulsanne Alfa Romeo squad.
He won a race at the Slovakiring in 2019, ending the year 16th overall in the drivers’ standings, but for the following year he returned to racing at home, winning the 2020 TCR China title in a Lynk & Co run by Teamwork Motorsport.
He remained with Teamwork in 2021, contesting the TCR Asia series which was largely run in parallel with TCR China. Ma only just missed out on the title to fellow Lynk & Co racer Jason Zhang.
Ma first appeared in World Touring Cars in 2014 with Citroën, when he became the first Chinese driver to win an FIA World Championship race.
The 34-year-old former Formula 1 test driver is looking forward to returning to the top level of the sport.
“I am thrilled to join Cyan Racing, the most successful team in the WTCR, and to represent Lynk & Co as a Chinese driver on the FIA world racing stage,” said Ma, who plans to move to Gothenburg in Sweden to be closer to the team.
“I can’t wait until I get to Sweden to start preparations together with the team ahead of the great challenges that we will face this year.
“I have huge respect for the tasks that we face, there is no tougher touring car racing on the planet than in the WTCR.
“But I am confident that we have a really strong package and that I can contribute to our push for the world titles this year.”
Lynk & Co Cyan Racing Team Manager Fredrik Wahlén cited Ma’s performances in Asia with Lynk & Co machinery, where he has picked up eight victories in two years, as key to him joining the team.
“We are delighted to have Ma Qing Hua with us,” said Wahlén. “His performance has been impressive over the past couple of seasons.
“His solid experience of the Lynk & Co 03 TCR and the WTCR will be key to our programme, and we look forward to work closely together with him.
“We’re heading for the 2022 season as motivated as ever, boosted by an amazing 2021 season. We expect an even tougher fight this year, but our goal is nonetheless firmly set on defending our world titles.”
Cyan Racing will communicate further news about its 2022 drivers in due course.