Race Across The World has triumphantly returned to our screens with an enthralling new series on BBC One, kicking off on Wednesday (23 April).

Five teams await a challenging journey of over 14,000km, embarking from the monumental Great Wall of China and traveling all the way to Kanniyakumari, India's southern apex. Each team is eyeing the coveted £20,000 cash prize.

The intrepid participants are granted a mere £1,000 for their entire trek – roughly £22 per day – and must navigate this adventure without the modern aids of smartphones or bank cards, relying entirely on hard cash.

Among those vying for victory are siblings Elizabeth and Letitia, the brotherly duo Brian and Melvyn, young sweethearts Fin and Sioned, mother-son team Caroline and Tom, and Yin and Gaz, who once shared marital ties.

The opening episode witnessed the start of the race in China, where one pair quickly emerged as frontrunners, reports SurreyLive.

Sisters Elizabeth and Letitia dramatically outpaced their rivals to the checkpoint, owing much of their swift progress to Letitia's fluency in Mandarin, enabling seamless interactions with the locals and smoothing their path considerably more than their competitors.

As viewers tuned in, the social media realm buzzed with reactions, some labeling the sisters' linguistic leverage as "unfair" against their fellow racers.

One outspoken fan lamented on Twitter: "#raceacrosstheworld Unfair advantage if you can speak and read Mandarin."

Race Across The World enthusiasts have been quick to commend Letitia for her Mandarin-speaking skills on the BBC show, highlighting the competitive edge it provides her and Elizabeth in the thrilling race.

One viewer remarked: "It's so refreshing to see Letitia speaking fluent Mandarin. That will really benefit her in this race."

Another tweeted their surprise: "Watching #raceacrosstheworld who'd have thought that being able to speak a language could give you the edge!?!?" Meanwhile, a third fan declared: "Speaking Mandarin is going to be a huge advantage!"

A fourth observer noted on X: "Mandarin speaker will definitely help #raceacrosstheworld," and a fifth chimed in with praise: "Wow, what an advantage being able to speak #Chinese. Elizabeth and Letitia have a huge advantage and they seem good at budgeting too #RaceAcrossTheWorld."

West Sussex sisters Elizabeth and Letitia shared insights into their motivation for joining Race Across The World during an interview on BBC Radio Sussex.

Elizabeth, 33, expressed her excitement: "Doing it like this is unexpected, unimaginable, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. It was a different way of trying to bond with a sibling, for sure."

Letitia, 26, reflected on the reality of the experience: "We watched it before, and I thought, 'We can do that; we like to travel. 'But actually doing it and being together 24/7, trying to make decisions together, is a different story."

Race Across The World airs on Wednesdays on BBC One at 9pm