Guanyu Zhou: Formula 1’s First Chinese Driver.
Alfa Romeo has announced their new driver for the 2022 line-up! Let’s Welcome Guanyu Zhou, the first Chinese F1 driver.
Guanyu Zhou was born in Shanghai, China, to a wealthy family in the car business. Not much about his family is released due to it being said that he’s a private person.
He watched his first F1 race in Shanghai in 2004 at the A1 Grand Prix at five years of age. After that, He was inspired and told his father he wanted to try his luck at racing. At eight years old, he joined an indoor Karting track in Shanghai, then moved on to outdoor Karting and competed in the Chinese Junior Championship, where he won all eight races that year.
Four years passed, and at 12 years old, his parents decided to move to Sheffield, England, a city in South Yorkshire, for more serious and competitive racing prospects for their son. The following year, Zhou raced with the Sheffield-based Strawberry Racing team, winning Super 1 National Rotax Max Junior Championship and Rotax Max Euro Challenge.
Zhou finished 2nd in the Rotax Max Senior Euro Challenge in his last year of Karting. He made his first and last appearance in the Karting World Championship, driving for Ricky Flynn Motorsport alongside Jehan Daruvala, another F2 driver, and Mclaren’s Lando Norris.
Zhou joined the Prema Power team for the 2015 Italian F4 Championship, consistently finished podium, and ended the season as Vice-Championship and best Rookie, beating a highly rated Robert Shwartzman and David Beckmann. Achieving two podium finishes in Speilberg and Spa.
Zhou joined team Motopark for the 2016 FIA F3 Championship, moving on another step on the Formula Racing ladder. He had a successful season opener round but unfortunately struggled with pace in the last half of the season. He finished the season in 13th.
Zhou rejoined his previous team (Prema Power)for his second F3 season and remained with them for his third F3 season.
In the 2019 FIA F2 Championship, Guany Zhou and Luca Ghiotto joined UNI-Virtuosi Racing scoring his first F2 pole position at Silver Stone, making him the first Chinese man to achieve it. 2020, Zhou remained with the team, partnering with Ferrari Driving Academy member Callum Ilott.
In September 2021, he won the Shochi F2 sprint race. It was suspended due to a terrifying crash involving him and Jack Aitken on the eighth lap. Fortunately, both drivers escaped their car without any help from the Marshals.
May 2021, now Alpine Junior won Sprint Race One at Monaco ahead of Felipe Drugovich and Roy Nissany. He also won the 2021 F3 Asian Championship held in Abu Dhabi, adding 18 points to his overall score.
Guanyu Zhou showed his talent and grit, and it caught Alfa Romeo’s eye. In November of 2021, Alfa Romeo announced their new driver. Antonio Giovinazzi did nothing to hide the dismay when he found out that F1 Rookie would be taking his place and partnering with Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamiltons, previous partner.
Although Zhou was faced with Biased and prejudiced scrutiny, He continued to show his value in F4, F3, and F2.
But to this new racer joining us in 2022, We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring to the team.
Welcome to the 2022 Season of F1!
