Ye Hongli (, born 22 May 1992), also known as Leo Ye, is a Chinese racing driver. Ye is the reigning champion of the GT World Challenge Asia, having consecutively won the 2024 and 2025 championships alongside Yuan Bo for Origine Motorsport, and was also the 2018 champion of the China Touring Car Championship, which he competed in between 2015 and 2020 as a factory driver for Dongfeng Yueda Kia.
Career
Karting Ye began his racing career in karting at the late age of 16, making his debut in the China National Karting Championship after driving a kart for the first time in 2007. After a largely unremarkable season, he suspended his karting career, moving to the United Kingdom to pursue an education at the King's College London. He would not return to karting until 2012, but would succeed upon his comeback, winning that year's National Open Class of the Rotax Max Challenge China. Ye defended his title the following year, and continued competing in karting alongside single-seaters until being signed as a professional factory driver.
Formula Renault Ye made his single-seater racing debut in 2011, making a cameo appearance in a single round of the Asian Formula Renault Challenge at Shanghai International Circuit, and drove in another one-off at Zhuhai the following year. He would move full-time into single-seaters after graduating from university in 2013, competing in the final two rounds of the British Formula Renault Championship and the Asian Formula Renault Series, winning three of the four races he contested in the latter championship.
Ye spent 2014 in Europe, competing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series and Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 as a guest driver for Koiranen GP alongside the likes of Nyck de Vries, George Russell, and compatriot Ling Kang. He recorded a best finish of ninth at Monza.
China Touring Car Championship In 2015, Ye returned to China after signing as a factory driver for Dongfeng Yueda Kia in the China Touring Car Championship. After finishing sixth in 2015, his first year in the championship, Ye would compete in the CTCC on a largely part-time basis as more opportunities arose overseas. In his only other full-time championship campaign in 2018, Ye claimed the championship title with one round remaining, ending the season with a sizable 34.5-point gap over runner-up Cao Hongwei.
Formula 3 Ye returned to formula racing in 2016, dovetailing his CTCC campaign with a part-time season in the Japanese Formula 3 Championship. Driving for B-Max Racing Team with the support of Taiwan-based KRC, Ye became the first Chinese driver after fellow CTCC driver "Alex" Yang Fan to compete in the championship, and the first to race in the top-level Championship class. He would also contest the flagship Macau Grand Prix with B-Max at the end of the 2016 season, but would not take part in the Grand Prix itself after sustaining terminal damage in a massive crash with Daiki Sasaki during the qualification race.
Ye continued with B-Max in Japanese Formula 3 for the 2017 season, achieving a single podium finish during the third round at Fuji.
Sportscar racing In 2019, Ye made the full-time switch to sports car racing, competing alongside "Bob" Yuan Bo in the GT World Challenge Asia after competing in the series on a part-time basis in 2017 and 2018. He was set to remain alongside Yuan at Absolute Racing for 2020; however, following the 2020 season's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ye was forced to sit out the majority of 2020.
Ye spent 2021 and 2022 racing in China, contesting the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia. After finishing fourth in his first season, Ye proceeded to dominate the 2022 season for JUNJIE Racing, equalling Chris van der Drift's record of six consecutive victories to seal the championship title with two races to go.
Ye reunited with Yuan for the 2023 season of the GT World Challenge Asia, now competing for R&B Racing, of which both drivers were co-founders. Ye also made his debut that year in the FIA GT World Cup for R&B, claiming the Silver Cup title and beating out renowned drivers such as Kévin Estre and Matteo Cairoli en route to a tenth-place overall finish.
2024 would see Ye achieve one of the greatest successes of his career, as he and Yuan, driving for the newly rebranded Origine Motorsport team, won the overall 2024 GT World Challenge Asia title, triumphing over reigning champion Anthony Liu Xu and his teammate Alessio Picariello to claim the championship at the season finale in Shanghai.
Personal life Ye was named by his maternal grandfather after the Qianlong Emperor (personal name Hongli). In addition to motorsport, Ye is also vice chairman at a construction company in Shanghai, having previously worked in financial management at an investment firm. Since 2024, Ye has also held an executive position at the Returned Overseas Students Association in his hometown of Taizhou.
Racing record
Career summary
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums PointsPosition2011Asian Formula Renault ChallengeFRD Racing Team200003215th 2012 Asian Formula Renault ChallengePrivateer200002614th2013 Asian Formula Renault Series - Asian Class Team KRC44244 1203rd Protyre Formula Renault Championship Fortec Competition300003821st 2014 Formula Renault 2.0 AlpsKoiranen GP1000000NC† Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0400000NC†2015China Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team72103436th2016China Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team1225451226thJapanese Formula 3 ChampionshipTeam KRC with B-Max90000511thEuroformula Open ChampionshipBVM Racing800002616thAsian Formula Renault SeriesTeam KRC221226010thMacau Grand PrixB-Max Racing Team10000N/ADNS2017Japanese Formula 3 ChampionshipTeam KRC with B-Max180001137thChina Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team1000117512thBlancpain GT Series Asia - GT3HubAuto Racing200100NC†FRD LMP3 SeriesS&D Motorsports402102816th2017–18Asian Le Mans Series - LMP3Taiwan Beer GH Motorsport20001188th2018China Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team1531161601stChina Endurance Series - LMP3 TrophyPTRS Racing Team42204?2ndBlancpain GT Series Asia - GT3HubAuto Corsa601116013thBlancpain GT Series Asia - Silver02237710thFIA GT Nations CupHerberth Motorsport10000N/A5th2019GT World Challenge Asia - GT3Absolute Racing81003819thGT World Challenge Asia - Silver21231149thSuper Taikyū - ST-1TRACY SPORTS43003101.5†2nd†China Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team800116512th2019–20Asian Le Mans Series - GTFIST Team AAI10000018th2020China Touring Car Championship - Super ProductionDongfeng Yueda Kia Racing Team411136211thMacau GT CupTORO Racing11001N/A1st2021Porsche Carrera Cup AsiaBD Group144392394thChina GT Championship - GT3 Pro-AmAbsolute RacingChina Endurance Championship - GT3Macau GT CupTORO Racing10111N/A2nd2022Porsche Carrera Cup AsiaJUNJIE Racing863?81881stChina Endurance Championship - GT3Phantom Pro Racing42023GT World Challenge Asia - GT3R&B Racing120102749thGT World Challenge Asia - GT3 Silver78792112ndFIA GT World Cup10000N/A10th2024GT World Challenge AsiaOrigine Motorsport1220041381stGT World Challenge Asia - Silver-Am85?102381stFIA GT World Cup10000N/A16thGT Sprint Challenge - GT3 Pro-AmClimax Racing21012?2nd12 Hours of SepangR&B Racing11101N/A 1st2024–25Asian Le Mans Series - GTOrigine Motorsport600002912th2025 GT World Challenge Asia Origine Motorsport12304125 1stGT World Challenge Asia - Pro-Am326151 3rdIntercontinental GT Challenge100000NCShanghai 8 Hours - GT3 Silver-Am11101N/A 1st2025–26Asian Le Mans Series - GTOrigine Motorsport60003586th24H Series Middle East - GT3-Am2026Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP10SRS Team Sorg RennsportNürburgring Langstrecken-Serie - SP9High Class Racing24 Hours of Nürburgring - SP9 Pro-Am10000N/A6thGT World Challenge Europe Endurance CupChina GT Championship - GT3Winhere Origine Motorsport † As Ye was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points. * Season still in progress.
Complete Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 DC Points 2014 Koiranen GPALC1ALC2SPA1SPA2MSC1MSC2NÜR1NÜR2HUN1HUN2LEC1LEC2JER1JER2 NC† 0
† As Ye was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points
Complete Formula Renault 2.0 Alps Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pos Points 2014Koiranen GP IMO1 IMO2 PAU1 PAU2 RBR1 RBR2 SPA1 SPA2 MNZ1 MNZ2 MUG1 MUG2 JER1 JER2 NC† 0
† As Ye was a guest driver, he was ineligible for points
Complete China Touring Car Championship results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year TeamCarClass 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8910111213141516 Pos. Points 2015Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3SSuper Production SIC STC KOR GIC SIC JYC BJC 6th 43 2016Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3Super Production JWC1 JWC2 ZIC1 ZIC2 SIC1 SIC2 KOR1 KOR2 GIC1 GIC2 SIC1 SIC2 JIC1 JIC2 STC1 STC2 6th 1222017Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3Super Production ZIC1 ZIC2 GIC1 GIC2 JIC1 JIC2 STC1 STC2 SIC1 SIC2 ZJC1 ZJC2 WSC1 WSC2 SIC1 SIC2 12th 752018Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3Super ProductionSICSPRSICFEA ZICSPR ZICFEA GICSPR GICFEA STCSPR STCFEA ZJCSPR ZJCFEA WSCSPR WSCFEA STCSPR STCFEASICSPRSICFEA 1st 1602019Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3 (BD)Super ProductionGIC1GIC2SIC1SIC2 STC1 STC2 ZJC1 ZJC2 NIC1 NIC2 ZZC1 ZZC2SIC1SIC2 WSCSPR WSCFEA 12th 652020Dongfeng Yueda Kia Racing TeamKia K3 (BD)Super Production ZZC1 ZZC2 ZZC1 ZZC2 ZZC1 ZZC2 ZZC1 ZZC2 STC1 STC2 STC1 STC2 JWC1 JWC2 JWC1 JWC2 11th 62
Complete GT World Challenge Asia results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 89101112 DC Points 2017 HubAuto Racing Porsche 911 GT3 R (991) Silver SEP1 SEP2 CHA1 CHA2 SUZ1 SUZ2 FSW1 FSW2 SIC1 SIC2 ZJC1 ZJC2 NC 0†2018HubAuto RacingFerrari 488 GT3Silver SEP1 SEP2 CHA1 CHA2 SUZ1 SUZ2 FSW1 FSW2 SIC1 SIC2 NIC1 NIC2 10th 772019Absolute RacingPorsche 911 GT3 R (991)Silver SEP1 SEP2 CHA1 CHA2 SUZ1 SUZ2 FSW1 FSW2 KOR1 KOR2 SIC1 SIC2 9th 1142023R&B RacingPorsche 911 GT3 R (992)Silver BUR1 BUR2 FSW1 FSW2 SUZ1 SUZ2 MOT1 MOT2 OKA1 OKA2 SEP1 SEP2 2nd 2112024Origine MotorsportPorsche 911 GT3 R (992)Silver-Am SEP1 SEP2 BUR1 BUR2 FSW1 FSW2 SUZ1 SUZ2 OKA1 OKA2 SIC1 SIC2 1st 238 2025 Origine Motorsport Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) Pro-Am SEP1 SEP2 MAN1 MAN2 BUR1 BUR2 FSW1 FSW2 OKA1 OKA2 BEI1 BEI2 3rd 151 † As Ye was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
Complete Asian Le Mans Series results (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap) + Year Team Class Car123456Pos.Points 2017–18 Taiwan Beer GH Motorsport LMP3 Ligier JS P3 ZHU FUJ BUR SEP 8th 18 2019–20 FIST-Team AAI GT BMW M6 GT3 SEP BEN SEP CHA 18th 0 2024–25 Origine Motorsport GT Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) SEP1 SEP2 DUB2 DUB2 ABU1 ABU2 12th 29 2025–26 Origine Motorsport GT Porsche 911 GT3 R (992) SEP1 SEP2 DUB1 DUB2 ABU1 ABU2 6th 58
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