Formula 1 landed in China in 2004 thanks to the event held in Shanghai, but the fans were slow to arrive. What the sport’s bosses have always yearned for is a local star to help tap into the riches of the world’s second-largest economy.
In 2022, the Grand Circus will finally have its first full-time Chinese driver, when Guanyu Zhou makes his Alfa Romeo debut as Valtteri Bottas ‘s partner. Zhou’s announcement was hailed as “fantastic news for F1” by championship CEO Stefano Domenicali , who was delighted that “the millions of passionate Chinese fans now have a local hero to cheer on all year long.” .
It is certainly a watershed moment for F1, but Zhou’s signing was anything but a formality. A possible purchase of the team was about to completely derail his dreams in F1 for 2022, and even when his arrival was announced, there was a barrage of criticism for the number of drivers who surpassed the Chinese and who, however, were They were left without a seat.
Alfa Romeo team boss Frédéric Vasseur shrugged off these claims, saying Zhou’s performance in F2 – where he took three wins and was second in the standings at the time of his announcement – “speaks for itself. “. In addition, Vasseur has a good track record as a talent spotter, as his organisation, ART Grand Prix, has brought a handful of drivers to F1, including champions Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg , and rising stars such as Charles Leclerc , Esteban Ocon or George Russell .
“He won this season in Bahrain, Monaco and Silverstone,” Vasseur said. “In F2, it’s the most demanding circuits. He got pole position, he’s always there, he’s consistent and I’m sure he’ll do well in the next step.”
Zhou has been considered China’s brightest talent for several years. He first linked up with the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2014, when he was still in karting, before switching to Renault’s – now Alpine – junior program in early 2019. The director of the French academy, Mia Sharizman , drew up a plan three years to prepare Zhou to make the jump to 2022, as he believes he is China’s only hope in F1 for “the next 15 to 20 years”.
Vasseur highlights the determination Zhou showed in leaving China for Europe as a teenager to pursue his dream of reaching Formula 1.
“We know perfectly well that when you move from Europe, even to Japan, it is not an easy move for a driver, and Zhou did the opposite. But when you are 13 years old and you move to Europe just because you want to be a racing driver, for me it is a huge commitment.”
Entering his third F2 season with UNI-Virtuosi in 2021, Zhou knew that fighting for the title was the bare minimum. His form early in the season took him to the top of the standings, but a poor weekend in Sochi – including a spin on the formation lap – left him 36 points behind Oscar Piastri , his teammate on the programme. of Alpine youth, before the season-ending rounds in Jeddah and Abu Dhabi, where he also trailed Robert Shwartzman .
But plans for Zhou to move up to F1 were already well under way. Alpine had put it through a rigorous private testing program and fielded it in Free Practice 1 at the Austrian Grand Prix. Although the team did not have any seats available, having signed a contract until 2024 with Esteban Ocon and tied down Fernando Alonso for a further two years, it would not stand in Zhou’s way if he could get a car elsewhere.
Alfa Romeo appeared as the only real destination for Zhou. Vasseur hinted that he might find a rookie to partner Bottas, but continued to insist there was no rush to decide. Alex Albon and Nyck de Vries were linked to the Swiss seat, but once Albon signed with Williams , it left all power to Alfa Romeo in the drivers’ market, as it had the last vacancy.
Zhou’s management team, which includes former Manor F1 boss Graeme Lowdon, went to work to reach a deal. The combination of the Chinese’s background and experience in F2, plus the backing of a number of sponsors from his country, meant that in September the signing was considered a formality.
And then Andretti entered the scene. America’s top driving dynasty accelerated its plans to enter F1 with the acquisition of a majority stake in Sauber , which runs the Alfa Romeo team, and Zhou’s hopes were left up in the air. Michael Andretti made it clear that his intention was to put his young IndyCar star Colton Herta in the seat. Early plans were for Herta to appear in practice for the United States Grand Prix, but the takeover deal eventually fell apart due to what Andretti called “control issues”.
This put the deal with Zhou back on track and the announcement came in November. The Chinese would leave Alpine with the blessing of the team’s regular drivers, Alonso and Ocon, who explained that they were excited to see him on the grid next season.
Alfa Romeo dealers in Shanghai celebrated the news with banners heralding China’s first full-time F1 driver, with Zhou himself acknowledging that it was “a breakthrough for the history of Chinese motorsport”.
“I know that a lot of hope will fall on me and, as always, I will take it as a motivation to be better and achieve more,” he said.
However, not all parties praised Zhou, who unseated Antonio Giovinazzi , so he posted his disappointment on social media: “When money rules, it can be ruthless” .
Vasseur acknowledges that Zhou’s financial support was important as it helped increase the team’s income, but says the main criteria remained on-track performance.
“(The budget) was a pillar of the decision, for sure. It was always clear to me, because we want to hit the budget cap (it is understood that Alfa Romeo is currently operating well below the recently introduced F1 cap). It is the best way to act for us, but it is not the only one”.
“Everyone is underestimating the level of performance and the work done by Zhou this season,” he added.
The driver many felt was most deserving of the seat on paper was Alpine’s academy buddy. Piastri , who won the Formula 2 title as a rookie, did not have the budget to compete for the seat, but the Australian has defended Zhou, calling the criticism “unfair” .
“We all know that he brings a little financial support behind him, but he’s not doing badly,” Piastri said at the time of the announcement. “He’s second in the championship, he has the same number of wins as me, he led for the first part of the year. He certainly doesn’t come without results.”
While Alfa Romeo made it clear that Bottas had joined on a multi-year deal, no such details were given for Zhou. Vasseur avoided talking about the contractual information, limiting himself to saying that he envisages a “long-term collaboration.”
But just as Alpine has had young drivers knocking on his door, Vasseur may find himself in a similar position. At 18, young Sauber driver Theo Pourchaire excelled in his rookie F2 campaign, winning at Monaco and Monza, and enjoyed his first test in an F1 car at the Hungaroring.
Vasseur said it would have been “too risky” to immediately give the seat to Pourchaire, who will remain in F2 with the aim of winning. Although he lacks experience (he was in F4 when Zhou made his F2 debut), the Frenchman is certainly a talent that Alfa Romeo will not want to give up.
Is Zhou a temporary pilot then?
As long as Alfa Romeo needs your support to get closer to the budget limit, his value will remain high, and like many recent F1 graduates, even if his record as a young driver does not show him to be a future champion, Zhou has done enough to earn his chance and the chance to impress.
It is an opportunity that both he and F1 have wanted for a long time. Six-year-old Zhou was captivated by Alonso’s driving at Renault when he attended his first race in Shanghai in 2005, and F1 hopes he can be the catalyst that inspires a generation of Chinese fans.
An Oscar nomination
Oscar Piastri has been a victim of his own success. When the Australian started on the F1 ladder in 2020, racing in F3, Alpine made the plan clear: two years in F3, two years in F2, and then a possible F1 seat would be in sight.
Piastri knocked him down. He was champion in F3 at the first attempt, and quickly slipped into contention for the F2 title in 2021. His success made Alpine decide that whether he won the F2 title or not, he would not be back this year.
Without a huge amount of money behind him, the Australian knew that getting to be an F1 driver in 2022 was always a “long shot”. He will spend the 2022 season as an Alpine reserve, completing an extensive testing program.
A season without racing may seem strange for a talent with a resume that would put most of the F1 grid to shame, but Piastri – who is managed by Mark Webber – is taking it in stride.
“I would have liked to have been on the grid, but I am not disappointed with the result,” said the winner of the run-up to the Grand Circus. “It’s good to be ahead and have these results on my track to help me in the future.”
With Zhou already sidelined at Alpine, Piastri is set to lead in the academy, and he may become a fixture in the rumored driver market until he finally gets his shot at F1, something Alpine will want to do. make sure you don’t have to wait too long.
