Tuesday, November 16, 2021
New nation in Formula 1
Why Alfa Romeo relies on Chinese Zhou
Antonio Giovinazzi is very disappointed. He has to leave Formula 1, there will be no more cockpit for him in the coming season. Because Alfa Romeo is creating a novelty in 2022: For the first time, a Chinese will be there with Guanyu Zhou. Even the team boss admits that it’s not just for sporting reasons.
The first regular Chinese driver in the history of Formula 1 is supposed to give Alfa Romeo and, in the giant realm, a boost to the premier class of motorsport. Alfa Romeo gave the last free cockpit for 2022 to Guanyu Zhou and parted ways with the Italian Antonio Giovinazzi. “It’s great from both a sporting and a commercial point of view,” said Alfa Romeo team principal Fredric Vasseur. “It’s a great opportunity for the team and the sport.”
Zhou has been driving in Formula 2 since 2019 and was also a Formula 1 test driver at Alpine. In the top junior class, the 22-year-old from Shanghai is currently in second place in the drivers’ standings for Uni-Virtuosi, behind the Australian Prema man Oscar Piastri.
“To be the first Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough in the history of Chinese motorsport,” said Zhou, who was also attracted to Formula 1 by a generous dowry from his sponsors. “I know I have a lot of hope and, as always, I will use that as a motivation to get better and achieve more.” Ma Qinghua was the first Chinese in Formula 1 in 2012. But he was only allowed to run for HRT and later Caterham in training. It was never enough for him to race.
Bitterly disappointed Giovinazzi
The Chinese (car) market is of immense importance for Formula 1. The motorsport premier class has been driving in Shanghai since 2004, and Formula 1 celebrated its 1000th Grand Prix there in 2019. Because of the corona pandemic, there was no race in China in 2020 and 2021, and the huge empire will also be missing from the calendar in the coming season. Nevertheless, the contract was extended until 2025.
In 2022, Zhou will drive alongside Valtteri Bottas, who is coming from the industry leader Mercedes. The Finn replaces his compatriot Kimi Raikkonen, who is ending his career. Giovinazzi made his Formula 1 debut for what was then the Sauber team in 2017, and was promoted to regular driver for the 2019 season. Before the third to last Grand Prix of this season in Qatar, he is currently at one point in the championship, with a total of 19 points in his career.
Giovinazzi has to go bitterly disappointed. Formula 1 is “talent, machine, risk, speed,” wrote the 27-year-old on social networks. But you can also be “inconsiderate when money dictates the rules.”
Zhou commented on his beginnings in “The Paper” in his home country. His first feeling for car racing was initially fear at a young age. “I was very scared,” he said. “I was seven years old when I sat in a go-kart for the first time. It was very late compared to other drivers. Many started racing when they were three or four years old.” At that time he only sat in the back seat of a go-kart that his father drove. “I closed my eyes and didn’t even open them. It felt like a roller coaster ride,” said the future Formula 1 driver.
But then his parents would have said where they were all there, why he didn’t try it out himself. “So I forced myself to try and I fell in love with it – and have loved it ever since.”