Now it’s official: Guanyu Zhou will make his Formula 1 debut in the 2022 season at the wheel of Alfa Romeo Racing, alongside Valtteri Bottas. The negotiation between the two parties, which began at the beginning of the summer, was subsequently frozen due to the purchase proposal of the Swiss team forwarded by a group represented by Michael Andretti, interested in bringing the American driver Colton Herta to Formula 1.
With this negotiation concluded (negatively), Zhou’s candidacy re-emerged who, as expected, made an agreement with Alfa Romeo Racing for a season after being freed from contractual ties with Alpine, to which he will remain tied as a junior driver until the end of the season. of Formula 2.
At 22, Zhou completed a growth path that began in Italy in 2015, with participation in the national Formula 4 championship and entry into the Ferrari Driver Academy.
After finishing his debut season in second place, he moved on to European Formula 3 completing his best season in 2018, with two wins to his name. The next step in Formula 2 (coinciding with the exit from the FDA and the entry into the Alpine-Renault nursery) was then the springboard towards more far-reaching results, up to the second position that he occupies two stages from the end in the championship of Formula 2.
“Since I took my first steps in this sport I have always dreamed of reaching as high as possible – commented Zhou – and now the dream has come true. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to start my career in Formula 1 with an iconic team like Alfa Romeo Racing, a team that in the course of its history has brought many talented young people to their debut. “
“I know that a very demanding challenge awaits me, but I think I am prepared, and I will be able to count on the presence in the team of a top level driver like Valtteri Bottas. I would like to thank the Alfa Romeo Racing team for this opportunity, the goal will be that to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible “.
“I am aware of what it means to be the first Chinese driver to have the opportunity to race in Formula 1, it is an important turning point for the whole motorsport movement in my country. There will be many hopes and expectations, and this aspect will help me to to further increase my motivation to achieve more and more ”.
The debut of the first driver of Chinese nationality has an important value for Formula 1, and will open the doors on a financial market (so far approached with the Shanghai Grand Prix) never explored with the potential interest that captures having a driver on the starting grid, a bonus that both Alfa Romeo Racing and the entire Formula 1 will try to make the most of.
For Italy, however, the bad news of the (hopefully temporary) release of Antonio Giovinazzi has to be collected. After three seasons in which Antonio was the only testimonial on the track of the tricolor nursery, Italy will return in 2022 to have no representative in helmet and overalls at the start of the Formula 1 Grand Prix.
“Saying goodbye to a driver is never easy, especially in the case of Antonio, who has been part of the team for so long,” said Vasseur. “As we separate, we will keep memories of the good times and learn from the bad ones, knowing that these moments have made us grow together as a team. We wish Antonio the best for his future after the 2021 season: before then, we still have three races to get some good results together and finish the year in the best possible way “.
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