Alfa Romeo racer Zhou Guanyu REVEALS his secret passion that very few fans were aware of

The Chinese Formula 1 Driver loves seeking out sneakers but hates wearing one famous shoe in his possession

Alfa Romeo racer Zhou Guanyu REVEALS his secret passion that very few fans were aware of

Zhou Guanyu (via Imago)

The Alfa Romeo driver who debuted in 2022 has confessed to being a big sneaker-head. In a recent interview with complex, Zhou Guanyu talked on-length about his passion for sneakers while dissing the infamous ‘Panda’ dunks.

YouTube video

The Racer highlighted how Chinese school-kids consider their shoes a vital part of their identity, as they’re allowed to wear their own footwear to school. Zhou seems to have found his calling for sneakers in school as he reminisced about his Kobe 4s and 5s. He says, “When I lived in the UK, you have to wear blazers, boots in school. In China, we can just wear sneakers casually. Sneakers are what you represent.“

Guanyu jokingly dissed the famous ‘Panda Dunks’ as he said they’ve gotten a bit too popular for his taste, “The one pair I hate to wear is the ‘Panda’ Dunks” says the 24-year-old. “I’ve never worn it for the last year and a half. Because everybody walking on the street, in any country you go to, any city, so many people have them.”

The Alfa Romeo racer really seems to be the biggest sneaker-head in the paddock as the F1 driver even selected his racing number, ‘24’, as a nod to Kobe Bryant and his beloved Kobe’s from his childhood.

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Alfa Romeo and Sauber’s tricky future in Formula 1

Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo (via Twitter)

With the pair headed towards separation at the end of the current season, Alfa Romeo and Sauber both have some exciting choices to make about their F1 future. With Audi slated to enter the sport in 2026 with Sauber, the paddock is about to change its look.

Alfa Romeo are reportedly joining hands with Haas as they plan on staying in the World Championship for 2024. Sauber on the other hand are supposedly planning to operate as an Independent team for 2024 and 2025 seasons with help from their eventual partners–Audi.

The current Alfa Romeo team, owned by Sauber are yet to disclose their drivers for the coming season, and in light of uncertainty for the teams, the line-ups might take some time.

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