Zhou Guanyu, China’s first full-time Formula 1 driver, and Alfa Romeo F1 team ORLEN have agreed to a deal that promises the driver to be in the sport for the 2024 season, alongside Valtteri Bottas.
Zhou Guanyu’s performance 2022 season
The 23-year-old driver has impressed the team with his commitment and attitude as the team said that he has shown “levels of maturity and racecraft that belie his young age”. He scored a point by finishing tenth on his Formula 1 debut in Bahrain and since then, he has had two more point finishes in Canada and Italy.
Zhou Guanyu has built up a strong relationship with his teammate Valtteri Bottas, which is one of the reasons Alfa Romeo opted to give him another season.
Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur said that Zhou has impressed him since day one at the team, which was last year at the Abu Dhabi test, citing his approach to work as always being a positive trait. Vasseur also said that while the team knew Zhou Guanyu is quick, his adaptation to Formula 1 in the first season itself, which is yet to finish, has been one of the team’s best surprises this year.
Zhou Guanyu has scored in three races this season so far, taking his points tally to six, as compared to 46 scored by his teammate Valtteri Bottas, but it’s understandable that his tally would be much higher had he not undergone multiple mechanical problems in the season.
