“Maybe in 10 years I can have the same effect”: Guanyu Zhou hopes to follow in footsteps of 7″6 NBA legend Yao Ming

Guanyu Zhou made his F1 debut with Alfa Romeo in 2022 and created history by becoming the first Chinese driver to race in the sport as a full-time driver. He’s one of the most recognizable athletes to come out of China today, and his journey to F1 has contributed massively to this.

Formula 1 was never the most popular sport in China and only gained mainstream attention after the inaugural Chinese GP took place in Shanghai back in 2005. A very young Zhou saw Fernando Alonso in action that afternoon, which made him fall in love with the sport. Since then, his dream was to become an F1 driver, something that he realized earlier this year.

Now that he has entered the big stage, the 23-year-old wants to make F1 one of the most popular sports in his home country. This is something he wants to achieve by following in the footsteps of one of the greatest Chinese athletes of all time in Yao Ming.

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Helping F1 grow in China is the main priority for Guanyu Zhou

In an interview with CNN, Zhou admitted that he is a huge fan of basketball. His car number is 24, which is famous among basketball fans for being the jersey number of Kobe Bryant. The Lakers legend is his favorite basketball player, but Zhou hopes to emulate the career of Ming.

Ming became an overnight sensation when he was selected as the number one NBA draft pick in 2002. He spent the entirety of his career with the Houston Rockets, becoming an all-star eight times. The 7″6 center’s stardom in America helped basketball as a sport grow in China. He is the reason, millions of young kids like Zhou fell in love with the sport.

As a formula 1 driver, Zhou hopes to have the same impact in a few years’ time. “Who knows, maybe in 10 years’ time, you know, I could have the same effect. And that’s my aim definitely,” he said.

In his debut F1 season, the Shanghai-born driver finished 18th in the standings with 6 points to his name. He will be hoping to have a more consistent season in 2023, and compete for points on a more regular basis.

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