Guanyu Zhou, a Formula 1 rookie driving for Alfa Romeo, opened the scoring in his debut race, which not everyone succeeds in. The team’s mechanics treat him with great respect as so far he has managed not to have an accident – both in testing and during all three phases of the season, his car has been safe and sound.
In an interview with the Swiss tabloid Blick, the Chinese rider told how his first season in the World Championship is going for him.
Q: How did you manage to become a racer?
Guanyu Zhou: I think it’s in my blood. I have always been attracted to fast cars and I wanted to learn how to drive as quickly as possible.
Q: And this happened when you were not yet six years old?
Guanyu Zhou: Precisely. One day my parents took me to the go-kart track. First I was driven on a double kart, and I was very scared and closed my eyes.
Q: You probably didn’t like that first experience much?
Guanyu Zhou: Yes, until I took the wheel myself. And already on the very first lap I wasn’t driving that slow and didn’t crash anywhere. I got what I wanted for so long. After that we often visited that kart track, they pay attention to me and soon I started playing for a professional kart team.
Q: How did you meet your compatriot, Chinese driver Ma Qing Hua, who worked behind the wheel of the HRT team car on Friday practice sessions in 2012 and teamed up with Caterham F1 in 2013?
Guanyu Zhou: Mom is my good friend now. He was the owner of the kart club I was involved in when I was a kid. We spent a lot of time together, he often helped me. Unfortunately, he could not get a permanent place in Formula 1.
Q: When was the last time you were in your home country, in China?
Guanyu Zhou: About two years ago. A long time ago. Japanese racer Yuki Tsunoda is now in the same situation. We both miss our homeland. But in 2022 I will definitely fly to Shanghai, otherwise it will be three years since I have not seen my family and friends.
Question: You are probably no less popular now than the stars of show business in your home country?
Guanyu Zhou: In a way. I have about 250,000 followers on social media, I’m recognized on the streets in both England and Melbourne, which is home to tens of thousands of Chinese, and I often have to stop so people can take a selfie with me.
Q: It seems you behave very modestly during the race weekends and manage to keep calm…
Guanyu Zhou: When the situation calls for it, I am very emotional.
Q: In Bahrain you became the 63rd driver in Formula 1 history ie since 1950 to score points in the debut race…
Guanyu Zhou: It came as a surprise to me. And when I saw how happy the whole team was, I was moved to tears.
Q: What are your goals for 2022?
Guanyu Zhou: The first task is completed – I have already opened an account with earned points. I want to go to the second part of qualifying in all stages and reach the final session at least once before the end of the year.
Q: In the first race you finished tenth, in the second and third you took 11th place. For a long time in Formula 1, there was no debutant who would have started his career so successfully…
Guanyu Zhou: I’m proud of myself too! I used to be ready to settle for 11th in the races at the start of the season, but now I’m getting a little frustrated. We should have scored points in Saudi Arabia, but the extra pit stop put me behind Lewis Hamilton, my idol. I crossed the finish line 8 seconds later than him, although I lost at least 25 seconds at the extra pit stop.
Q: What can you say about the Melbourne race?
Guanyu Zhou: There was also a battle for points. When Albon, who had changed tires on the very last lap, returned to the track, I actually caught up with him. But my tires were very worn and I couldn’t compete with him for 10th place. As a result, he finished 11th.
Q: You are a newcomer to the championship, but how did other riders accept you?
Guanyu Zhou: There were no problems. I knew many more from the youth series, one was even my partner. More often than others in previous years I crossed paths with Mick Schumacher. Everyone congratulated me on the transition to Formula 1 and I immediately felt very comfortable in the new family.
Q: For the past three years you have been part of the Alpine youth program and now you play for Alfa Romeo – can you compare these two teams?
Guanyu Zhou: In Alpine and also in Formula 2 I mainly dealt with English engineers. In Switzerland everything is very different, and it took some getting used to. But the task is the same at first: succeed.
Q: Do you have friends in the paddock?
Guanyu Zhou: Yes, Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo, who helped me during my internship at Alpine, and we developed a friendly relationship.
Q: What do you think of Valtteri Bottas, your new partner?
Guanyu Zhou: I am lucky enough to have a rider with such success next to me. Valtteri became my guide and before the first race in Bahrain I asked him a lot of questions. Valtteri always listened very carefully and helped where he could. By the way, he still comes to me himself and asks if I have any questions or doubts…
Q: It turns out he took you under paternal tutelage?
Guanyu Zhou: (laughs) You could say that.
Q: How is the relationship with Frederic Vasseur, team leader?
Guanyu Zhou: He has worked very successfully with young riders in the past. I have a feeling he can do it. At the same time, he is always very critical, and if something doesn’t suit him, he talks about it right away. At the same time, Fred is a very cheerful person, and I like that a lot.
Q: What did you learn in the first three races?
Guanyu Zhou: Respect your opponents. Here no one squeezes you off the track in the wildest way, like in other series. In Formula 1, you can trust your rivals, because in the highest category of motorsport, all racers are quite mature people.
On the track they fight hard, but correctly – I hope it stays that way. In addition, the new rules are quite suitable for me, because everyone has to start from scratch. And on top of that, last year in Formula 2, I drove all year on 18-inch tires.
Source: F1 News
I’m Todderic Kirkman, a journalist and author for athletistic. I specialize in covering all news related to sports, ranging from basketball to football and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience in the industry, I have become an invaluable asset to my team. My ambition is to bring the most up-to-date information on sports topics around the world.
