Zhou Guanyu has made history by becoming the first Chinese driver to secure a seat in Formula One. The young Chinese driver was signed by Alfa Romeo (now Kick Sauber) in 2022. As the 2024 season reaches the final half of the season, the young Chinese driver has been struggling to perform and keep up with the pressure on his shoulders.
Kick Sauber, which is finally on the grid, is the only team that has not scored any points this season. From 2026, Kick Sauber will become Audi and Zhou has been fighting for a place on the grid, despite the prejudices that come with his Asian nationality.
“Nationality is a reality”
Speaking about his F1 beginnings, Zhou compared his entry to that of Ollie Bearman, the rookie driver who will join Haas in 2025.
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During an interview, Zhou said: “In 2021, when I signed with Alfa Romeo, there was a lot of racist abuse because people weren’t following my career. Now we see a driver who is outside the top 10 in F2 get a seat and there is a lot of support for him. “This shows that nationality is a reality. It is difficult to change when you are Asian and come from different Asian countries, but I am not worried.”
Uncertain future
Zhou Guanyu has an uncertain future ahead of him as he is fighting for the only seat left at Audi. His main competition at the moment is his own teammate Valtteri Bottas, who also does not have a seat for next year. It is a tough battle for Zhou as Bottas is an experienced driver with several wins under his belt.
Zhou remains confident that Mattia Binotto will be appointed as team boss. “I’ve known him for quite a while, I’ve been involved in the Ferrari academy for several years. Looking ahead or next year, it will definitely be better,” Zhou said of his relationship with the former Ferrari team principal.
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It remains to be seen how Zhou performs and how events unfold over the rest of the season and whether the Chinese driver secures a seat for next season or not.
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