“I’m the closest ever to get into Formula 1 as a Chinese driver” – Guanyu Zhou hoping to make history this decade, potentially with Renault.
Guanyu Zhou wants to become the first-ever Chinese driver in Formula 1. The Renault junior is working towards making that happen at the earliest. It’s a lot of hard work, including getting the Super License, but he’s up for it.
“The main target for this year is to get my Super License, get me ready for when there’s a seat available in F1 so I can take that chance. That’s my dream, so I wouldn’t say exactly the time when it will happen. But I would say definitely I’m the closest ever to get into Formula 1 as a Chinese driver.
“But the last step is the hardest because as well as the Super License, you need to have the opportunities or seat available to jump in. I remember in 2019 when I went to the Chinese GP, everybody was saying ‘hopefully see you in F1 in two years’.
“It gave me a boost. The country is supporting me to achieve my dream and the Chinese motorsport fans’ dream as well.
“It would get a lot of people knowing about it – not just the people who follow sports but people everywhere. It has happened before in China — when someone first achieves something good, people start following that sport a lot more. Hopefully, I can also be that person.”
Guanyu Zhou learning from fellow Renault/Alpine Fernando Alonso
Zhou and Alonso both competed for Renault in the Young Drivers Test. The junior got a lot of tips from the two-time champion, something that could help him when Alonso calls it to quit in F1 (again), or Ocon has yet another disappointing season.
“He gave me a lot of tips and also gave the team a lot of advice. Not just in driving, it’s more — how you set up the car, how you manage your battery development during the long race, how you have a car better perform in qualifying.”
