Zhou Guanyu is unlikely to secure one of the remaining Formula 1 seats for 2025, but he is banking on a turnaround to save the season.
In an exclusive interview with The Race, Zhou, an outsider in the growing driver market, weighs up his inability to catch team-mate Valtteri Bottas, the public perception of the only Chinese driver in F1 compared to Ferrari’s highly rated rookie – and the chances of another Chinese driver joining the grid in the next decade.
He recently received what he sees as a huge morale boost, and perhaps even a lifeline, after Sauber announced that former Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto would take over the team.
“For the future or next year, it will definitely be better. I have known him for a long time now, as I was involved in the Ferrari Academy for several years,” Zhou tells The Race.
“I want to stay in this championship. That’s what I want to do. But in terms of what I do, if I become a third driver, I haven’t thought about that. My thought is to get a seat because there’s still, I would say, a 50 percent or more chance of getting a seat.”
“I’ve had a lot of trouble this year.”
Zhou has recovered from difficult seasons before, especially in the second half of his debut season in 2022, but this season he is clearly not performing as well as his team-mate Bottas.
Bottas has outscored Zhou 9-5 in grands prix races (although Zhou has outscored Bottas 2-1 in sprint races) and the gap in qualifying is even more pronounced: Bottas has outscored Zhou 13-1 in qualifying so far.
“I would say we are similar in motor racing. On many occasions I was a little bit faster than him. [Bottas]”Chu says in Belgium.
“Also, the last few weekends, I’ve been at risk because I started late. [Bottas]“And that’s the weakness: he’s probably going to be one lap faster with this year’s car configuration.”
“It’s hard for me because [the car] “This doesn’t suit my driving style over a single lap and requires a very high level of smoothness in input,” explains Zhou.
“My driving style is a bit more aggressive, which has worked for me over the last few years, especially last year, when I was able to get a good result. I have struggled a lot this year, but all I can say is that I am working on it.”
Sauber have tried to rectify their lack of pace with the other teams by introducing a raft of updates for Hungary and Belgium to Bottas’ car, and Zhou will receive the updates when the race resumes at Zandvoort.
“I think things will improve quickly in the second half of the season when I use the same car,” Zhou said.
“However, even with Valtteri’s driving style, the car is not fast enough. It’s unfortunate that this is the reality. He puts things in a much narrower range. [of] “A window that has a double effect on my struggles.”
careful scrutiny
The active driver market may put more pressure on Zhou, but he has always considered his own performance to be more strictly scrutinized than others.
He compares his treatment – when it was announced he would make his Formula 1 debut with Alfa Romeo in 2022 – to the reception Oliver Permann received after the Briton’s recall to Haas in 2025 was announced.
“It is quite clear that in 2021 when I signed with Alfa Romeo there was a lot of racist abuse that people were directing at me. [me] Because they didn’t follow my career.
“I finished third in Formula 2, and won five races that year – and 1723278311 You see a driver outside the top ten. [in F2] Right now, he’s got a seat, and there’s a lot of support for him.
Perman is currently having difficulties with the Prema Formula 2 team – partly due to the team’s difficulties in dealing with the new Formula 2 car.
But the 18-year-old has risen through the ranks with impressive results in karting before winning the Italian Formula 4 championship, finishing third in his first season in Formula 3 – and, most importantly, impressing in his first race of the year.
“It shows,” Chu asserts. [prejudice around] “Nationality is a fact. It’s hard to change that when you’re Asian, coming from different countries in Asia, but I’m not worried about that.”
Chinese debut and Formula 1 prospects
Whether or not he ends up with a seat in 2025, this season will always be a special one for Zhou – the first Chinese Formula 1 driver since Ma Chenghua tested for Caterham in 2013.
The Shanghai Grand Prix was suspended from 2020 to 2023 due to the global coronavirus pandemic, but this year, Zhou was finally able to race in front of his home fans – a dream finally coming true.
“I think the atmosphere here is even better than Silverstone,” says Chu.
“It’s unbelievable, they’re all here for one person. I’m very grateful to be that guy, and I also hope that the interest in motorsport in the homeland continues to grow.”
However, he admits that there is unlikely to be another Chinese driver on the grid in the near future – or even in the next decade.
“I don’t think anyone expected a Chinese driver in Formula 1, and I don’t think there will be one in the next five or 10 years,” he says.
Although he is not among the contenders for the few remaining Formula 1 championship seats, Zhou has collected 12 points and has started 60 races so far – including one in Shanghai – against team-mate Bottas.
Like his Sauber team, the German driver faces a tough task of regaining his balance in the second half of the season.
With Binotto at the helm and a car of the same specification as his team-mate, this task may become somewhat easier.
