MUMBAI: Sohu.com, which is a Chinese online media, communications, commerce and mobile value-added services company, and Formula One have signed a long-term agreement wherein Sohu will host and manage the official Formula 1 website in Chinese.

Besides introducing Chinese motor racing fans to the world of Formula One in their own language, the site will offer new business opportunities to Formula One associated companies. The official website signing ceremony precedes the inaugural 2004 Formula 1 Sinopec Chinese Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place in Shanghai from today (24 September).

china.formula1.com will include daily news, official live timing with race commentary, photographic galleries featuring exclusive still TV images, specially-commissioned interviews and features, an interactive results archive, in-depth technical analysis, general information on the rules and history of Formula One and profiles on all the competing teams and drivers including all previous world champions.

The presentation of the new website will follow the creative style of the flagship English language site, formula1.com.

Sohu chairman and CEO Charles Zhang said, "Sohu aims to become the country's preferred online platform for all fans, organisers and corporate advertisers involved in sport. At the same time, as the portal with the widest reach among China's 80 million online users according to iResearch/Alexa for the past eight months, we offer the Formula One community prime Internet access to the affluent urban Internet users. They are the most likely people in China to embrace the world of motor racing."