Zhou Guanyu is the first full-time F1 driver from China. After completing two full seasons with Alfa Romeo, he has explained how being an F1 driver stands out in his country. The 24-year-old made his point by comparing F1 to some of the other popular sports played in his nation.
While speaking in an interview with Motorsport Week, Zhou said, “China is a country where 50% of people only see you when you’re winning but then the other side want to understand motorsport. Maybe winning other sports, or to be a Formula One driver, is like having the Chinese football team going through to the World Cup”.
In the same interview, Zhou also explained how he spoke to a few fellow athletes to understand how the pressure is for them in their respective sports. On speaking to others, the Sauber driver revealed that there is no Chinese athlete who does not feel the additional weight of expectations on their shoulders.
The 24-year-old believes that the pressure is perhaps the most for the Chinese athletes who play ping pong, as the same is considered a “home sport“. The Chinese driver then added that although his country is in the top three when it comes to ping pong, the popularity of the sport in his nation has relatively stabilized.
However, Zhou believes that the same is not the case for other sports. He stated that since not many people know about F1 and some of the winter sports back home in China, there is a constant interest among some to understand them in more detail.
Zhou Guanyu himself played several sports when he was young
While speaking in the same interview, Zhou Guanyu explained how he has always been a fan of various sports since he was a kid. “I tried a lot of sports as a kid. I really like different sports. [I was] quite an athletic young kid. But then I just feel like the passion I had for F1, out driving cars, the speed, the noise of the engine just makes me very, very excited”, explained the Chinese driver.
After stating the same, the 24-year-old also added how his father made him try his hand at golfing. Zhou stated that he does not enjoy the sport anymore as there is immense “silence” in it.
The Alfa Romeo driver then concluded his remarks by stating that he also played football (soccer) when he was young and quite enjoyed it. However, as soon as he tried his hand at racing, Zhou revealed he knew what he wanted to do for a career.
