After 72 years, over lots of of races and 776 drivers later, Method 1 will for the primary time have a Chinese language racer in a Grand Prix.
Zhou Guanyu, 22, will be a part of the Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas on the Alfa Romeo F1 Workforce this season.
“We welcome Zhou, who will present an thrilling alternative to interact and develop our fan base in China,” stated Stefano Domenicali, the chief govt of Method 1.
Zhou, of Shanghai, was 5 when Method 1 launched the Chinese language Grand Prix in his residence metropolis in 2004. Zhou attended, was hooked and returned one 12 months later waving a flag in help of Fernando Alonso, whom he’ll now race in opposition to.
Zhou started karting when he was 8, however in a rustic the place motorsport was comparatively immature.
“The most important factor is [China] had no chief in motorsport,” Zhou stated. “There’s nobody who has been in Method 1, who can take that have and share with [others] the best way to develop.”
Zhou moved to England at 12 and ultimately to London, the place he nonetheless lives.
“I went from successful every little thing again residence to changing into a midfield runner,” Zhou stated, upon becoming a member of the aggressive path towards Method 1. “I needed to prepare tougher. I gained titles in karting, then bought into method racing and bought concerned with junior applications of Method 1 groups.”
Zhou rose via Method 4 and Method 3, guided by Ferrari, and ultimately graduated to Method 2, switching to Renault’s younger driver program. He was this system’s lead rookie in 2019, however some poor ends in 2020 slowed his progress.
“I used to be so shut, but in addition up to now,” he stated. “After F2, the following step is F1, otherwise you’re completed, the door is closed.”
Zhou stayed in F2 in 2021, gained 4 races and completed third within the championship, with Alfa Romeo recruiting him for 2022.
He has chosen 24 as his race quantity, a tribute to Kobe Bryant, the N.B.A. star who died in 2020. “I watched it since I used to be very younger,” he stated, including that “all my footwear in junior college” had been impressed by Bryant.
Whereas Zhou will convey China to Method 1 this 12 months, Method 1 will stay absent from China. The Chinese language Grand Prix in Shanghai has been canceled for the third straight 12 months due to the nation’s strict Covid coverage.
“I’m gutted I’m not going residence,” stated Zhou, who has not returned to Shanghai since mid-2020. He has seen the frenzied reception acquired by the world champion Max Verstappen within the Netherlands, and by Sergio Pérez in Mexico.
“Prior to now, we didn’t have a countryman,” he stated. “For the long run it might be wonderful to see extra [Chinese] folks racing.”
Zhou is Method 1’s solely rookie this 12 months.
“Whenever you be a part of F1, the problem is mega, and regardless that F2 is getting nearer and nearer to the highest stage, F1 continues to be one other world,” stated Frédéric Vasseur, the workforce principal of Alfa Romeo. “You’ve a number of issues to find; you want a totally new strategy with the automobile, you could have new tracks to study; you could have a workforce with 600 folks, up from 16; each single matter is completely different.”
Zhou started working with Alfa Romeo, which completed ninth final 12 months, solely in December, however Vasseur stated preliminary indicators had been encouraging.
“He has a really good perspective, however may also be pushy, and it’s an excellent mixture,” Vasseur stated. “He is aware of completely effectively that it is going to be a problem, and that is vital, however I feel that Valtteri and everybody within the workforce is able to assist him. He has a really open thoughts, and I’m certain that he’ll succeed.”
Even simply lining up on the grid might be a dream for Zhou. Final July, he drove for the Alpine F1 Workforce throughout apply on the Austrian Grand Prix.
“After I did a apply session, it felt particular, prefer it wasn’t actual,” he stated. “Whenever you do a cool-down lap, see others approaching, and it’s [Lewis] Hamilton, [Sebastian] Vettel, these are names you hear on TV. To be on the identical weekend is kind of loopy. To compete, racing with them, goes to be wonderful.
“From the suggestions I bought, there’s optimistic vibes again residence,” he stated. “It offers me that vitality to hold the nation on my shoulders. I’m right here in F1, and I wish to do effectively right here and make folks proud.”