Alfa Romeo hail “perfect attitude” of rookie Guanyu Zhou
Follow Us
Guanyu Zhou
Every aspiring race car driver dream of one day joining the pinnacle of motorsports racing , the Formula 1. The path to achieving that glory isn’t easy as it requires physical, mental and financial backing which a selected few could afford. The difference in cars performance among the Formula 1 teams also mean only the selected few can give a genuine title challenge.
The path to F1 for young driving aspirants will begin at the carting scene followed by F4, F3 and F2 championships, GP series or other related racing scenes which will take years of investment. Climbing the FIA ladder is also different for drivers from regions, such as china where Guanyu Zhou from, with less developed F1 or professional racing opportunities.
Guanyu Zhou the 23 years old, Chinese racing driver will drive for Alfa Romeo driver in the 2022 Formula One World Championship. He competed in the FIA Formula 2 having finished 3rd in the 2021 campaign after spending 3 years with UNI-Virtuosi Racing in F2. He is a part of the Alpine Academy and took more little more time than other rookies who has entered F1 from F2.
His move to alfa Romeo was controversial as he got the F1 seat ahead 2021 F2 champion Oscar Piastri . According to reports Team Alfa Romeo has taken the decision taking into account the financial benefits and market access it will get from Guanyu Zhou move along with his driving skills which caused some fans branding him as “Pay driver” Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur has now expressed his assessment of his rookie driver Guanyu Zhou.
Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur’s opinion on Guanyu Zhou
Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur said He is not worried about the rookie Guanyu Zhou, the only one in 2022 season, as he finds the Chinese man having thirst to learn with the perfect attitude and added that having 7 times world Champion Lewis Hamilton’s former partner Valttri Bottas as partner and good reference is a huge advantage.
“I’m not worried about it; Zhou wants to learn. I think he has the perfect attitude and with Valtteri, we have a good reference,” Fred Vasseur said.
“The new driver is not a challenge itself that we had the choice. We made the choice, what was very important for us is to have at least someone with a big experience of the F1 because I think it’s difficult to capitalise on what we did this season because it’s a completely new one,” Fred Vasseur added.
“The racing is different, but at least to have someone with a good reference of the performance and where the performance is coming from and with Valtteri, I’m sure that we have a good one,” Fred Vasseur explained.
Alfa Romeo and the Chinese F1 fans will be keen to see Guanyu Zhou on the grid at the same time Guanyu Zhou will have to face the pressure of partnering with someone as experienced as Valtteri Bottas. Guanyu Zhou also has to show he belongs in F1 with his rookie season performance in order to counter the just a “Pay driver” status by some fraction of F1 fans.
Also read: Lewis Hamilton fans body-shame Max Verstappen for a beach picture
Stay Updated!
Justin P Joy
(5010 Articles Published)