Zhao Yuanzheng: Our Success, Measured by Growth
In the world of Formula Student,
the roar of engines, speeding race cars, and heart-pounding rankings
often capture the spotlight.
But for DIAN Racing Team Leader Zhao Yuanzheng and his teammates,
there is something beyond the competition
far more important than the results…
Profile
Zhao Yuanzheng
Zhao Yuanzheng, a 2025 master’s student at the School of Automotive Studies, received the National Scholarship twice during his undergraduate years. Since November 2023, he has served as Team Leader of DIAN Racing, overseeing team management and project coordination. Under his leadership, the team secured second place overall and first place in the Acceleration event at the 2025 Formula Student Electric China (FSEC).
From Passion to Responsibility:
A Team’s Cohesion Comes from Purity of Purpose
“When I first joined the team, my reasons were simple:
I just thought race cars were cool.”
Team Leader Zhao Yuanzheng admits candidly.
Glimpses of the team’s competition journey
As time went on, he became increasingly captivated by the team’s spirit. “At university, there’s no other competition or project that can unite so many people to work purely, without any personal gain, toward a common goal,” he says.
These young people chose a path far from easy — they have poured countless days and nights into parts and drawings, dedicating their passion and intellect to creating a race car.
Behind this choice lies no calculation of credits or accumulation of honors, but an almost pure devotion to a shared objective. It was in this environment that Zhao Yuanzheng grew from a newcomer drawn to racing into the team leader bearing the fate of the entire squad. “Looking back now, the reason I could invest so much time in the team and take on the leader’s responsibilities was probably that I was moved by the team’s charm, which ignited a deep passion inside me,” he reflects.
This passion extends beyond a love for racing; it encompasses a deep appreciation for the people striving together. “In one year, we create countless touching moments.” These moments are not only irreplaceable memories from their university life, but through every instance of fighting side by side and overcoming obstacles, they quietly coalesce into an invisible force — tightly binding young people from different disciplines and backgrounds into a true team.
It is this pure passion and shared commitment that forge the team’s most precious foundation, and become the strongest emotional bond uniting every generation of members.
Crisis and Recovery:
The Toughest Moments Reveal a Team’s Resilience
The real test often comes at the most unexpected moments. Zhao Yuanzheng vividly remembers the testing accident at the end of last August — when an insert in the monocoque was unexpectedly pulled out, with less than three weeks before the new car’s launch event. “At that time, we had less than three weeks until the car launch, and everyone was very worried, especially the monocoque team members, who were under immense pressure,” he recalls.
In the face of crisis, the team’s response demonstrated true team spirit. Senior members, the team leader, and active members quickly organized several small meetings, and within one week, completed everything from part design to repair. More commendably, members from other subsystems, though not involved in testing, proactively took on vehicle maintenance duties, offering tangible support. “During that period, without testing, other subsystems actively maintained the car, fulfilled their responsibilities, and supported the monocoque members,” Zhao Yuanzheng emphasizes this sense of responsibility.
In the end, the monocoque with its “patch” not only endured 600 kilometers of testing but also performed a smooth dynamic display at the launch event. This crisis became one of the team’s most profound collective memories, proving that the hardest moments often bring out a team’s strongest resilience.
Beyond Rankings:
We Found Another Yardstick for Success
In the world of competitive sports, rankings can seem like everything. Unlike many teams, DIAN Racing does not treat results as the sole objective. “I think rankings can reflect only a very limited part of a team’s value.” Behind this statement lies Zhao Yuanzheng’s complete growth trajectory — he participated in Formula Student Electric China three times, and only reached the podium on his third attempt. In his eyes, however, the so-called “failures” of the first two times were the most valuable treasures.
“Without the failures and the subsequent reflection from previous years, I would not have been able to stand on the podium this year,” Zhao Yuanzheng says calmly, but this calmness holds deep understanding. “I think as long as there is growth, it is valuable.”
He also specifically mentions that good results are both an inspiration and a challenge: “A good competition result is a major motivation for the team, but it also poses a challenge for the team’s mindset and continuity the following year.” He is keenly aware that many teams go downhill after victory, including themselves in the past. Therefore, the team focuses more on the growth of each individual throughout the process, rather than just the final ranking.
As Zhao Yuanzheng says: “The value of growth far exceeds competition results.” In an era that worships instant gratification and quick returns, this value orientation — emphasizing process and caring about growth — may be exactly the spiritual strength that today’s youth need most. It reminds us: on the track of life, what matters most is not comparison with others, but dialogue with oneself; not the final position, but the growth along the way. This philosophy applies not only to a racing team, but to every young person striving forward. When we shift our focus from external evaluation to internal growth, from anxiety about outcomes to concentration on the process, we may discover — true success is never just about arriving at a destination, but about how we become better versions of ourselves on this journey.
Legacy and Growth:
True Victory Lies in Enabling Each Generation to Go Further
“If every generation of a team can grow continuously, that team will surely keep improving and move toward success.” This simple yet profound statement from Team Leader Zhao Yuanzheng captures the essence of legacy. It is not about clinging to past glory, but about enabling each new cohort to walk a longer path, building on the foundations of those before them.
This “growth-first” value has gradually been internalized as the team’s unique driving force. “During the car-building process, we are driven more by our love for the team and various forms of positive feedback,” Zhao Yuanzheng explains. “Before the competition, our goal is ‘to display our team’s spirit in the best possible state on the track.’ We believe that results are not the most important thing — ‘people’ are.” The word “people,” in Zhao Yuanzheng’s interpretation, carries rich meaning. It is not only the core of team cohesion, but also the ultimate criterion for measuring all work. Every year, new members join and veteran members depart. How to turn this fluidity into an advantage rather than a burden? Zhao Yuanzheng’s answer is: use “human growth” as the core yardstick.
This respect for people shows its true warmth especially when facing reality. When asked how to select from only 29 formal competition spots, Zhao Yuanzheng does not shy away from this difficult question. He chose to establish transparent rules at the start of the season, communicate sincerely with every member, and clearly explain the logic and considerations behind the selection. For members who cannot be selected, the team also provides spots in the driverless car competition, allowing them to still attend the event. This respect and care for individuals gives everyone an opportunity to realize their own value.
“The greatest reward from my team experience is precisely this experience itself.” Zhao Yuanzheng’s voice is calm and firm. Here, he not only formed friendships that can last a lifetime, but also forged a heart that “remains bright even under pressure.” He believes this period will nourish his future for a long time: “Even when I step into industry in the future and face turbulent times, this experience will keep me holding onto the courage to strive upward.”
It is this belief and strength passed down from generation to generation that lifts the team to greater heights. When asked, “If you had unlimited resources, where would you go?”, Zhao Yuanzheng’s answer is concise and powerful:
“With the strength of students, build the world’s best Formula Student race car, go to competitions in every country around the world, and showcase our team’s spirit.”
Behind this statement lies not only a longing for the technical summit, but also a deep confidence in team spirit and the value of growth. It lets us see: a truly outstanding team’s victory is never confined to a trophy at a specific time and place, but lies in enabling each generation to stand on the shoulders of their predecessors — to see farther, walk more steadily, and move forward with greater composure.
In Closing
The story of DIAN Racing,
essentially, is a story about growth.
Here, race cars are the medium, competitions are the stage,
and the transformation of people is the true core value.
Beyond the speed and passion,
they interpret a different kind of success in their own way.
An outstanding team
is an accumulation of technology, but more importantly, a continuation of spirit.
True achievement
does not lie in the ups and downs of rankings,
but in whether each generation can, standing on the shoulders of those before them,
become a better version of themselves.
The most precious gains
are not the trophies and applause,
but the trust built through joint struggle,
the abilities honed in overcoming difficulties,
and the deep friendships formed through days and nights together.
Zhao Yuanzheng says: “My team experience is like a dictionary — for many problems I encounter outside the team, I can find answers in this experience.” This statement is not only his personal insight, but also reveals the core significance of this group — it is not just a workshop for building cars, but a furnace for forging people, a real growth journey accessible to young people right on campus.
In a time that pursues efficiency and values results, DIAN Racing advances with a different rhythm: not judging success or failure by short-term wins or losses, but measuring by human growth; not breaking continuity through personnel changes, but linking generations through the transmission of spirit. This rhythm may well be an attitude that today’s youth can draw on when facing academic, career, and even life choices — while paying attention to external evaluations, but placing greater value on inner shaping; in the process of chasing goals, not losing sight of care for people, appreciation for the process, and patience for growth.
Every day and night invested out of passion, every decision to stick with the team, every bond formed through shared struggle — these seemingly “invisible” accumulations actually form the most solid chassis for life’s journey. Perhaps, the real track has always been not just on the field, but inside every person’s heart striving for self-transcendence.
May every person on the way forward
find their own “racing team,”
see themselves in the collective,
know themselves through striving,
and become themselves in growth.
—
This, perhaps, is the distance most worth pursuing in youth.
Interview | Liao Ziyang, Shen Yuelin, Ge Xinyi, Yang Hualing, Yang Ziqiang, Ma Liyi
Text | Liao Ziyang, Shen Yuelin, Ge Xinyi, Yang Hualing, Yang Ziqiang
Layout | Ma Liyi, Ge Xinyi
Review | Liao Ziyang
Special Thanks | Zhao Yuanzheng