Zhou Guanyu: The First Chinese F1 Driver

Despite facing challenges as a Chinese driver in a predominantly European sport, Zhou Guanyu has risen to the challenge and proven himself a world-class driver. He has become a key figure in Chinese motorsport, inspiring a new generation of young drivers to pursue their dreams in the sport. Zhou’s success serves as a testament to his talent and determination.

Despite not having a family background in racing, Zhou was interested in motorsport from a young age. He was always fascinated by cars and speed and often watched Formula One races on television with his father. It was during these races that Zhou became interested in racing himself.

Zhou’s rise to success in motorsport has not been without its challenges. Being a Chinese driver in a predominantly European sport has presented its own difficulties. However, Zhou has risen to the challenge and proven himself a world-class driver.

When Was Zhou Born?

Guanyu was born on May 29, 1999, in Shanghai, China. Zhou grew up in a family that was not involved in motorsport.

His parents were engineers, and he was their only child.

Zhou Guanyu Chinese Name

Written in Chinese, Zhou Guanyu is as follows.

• Chinese: 周冠宇
• pinyin: Zhou Guànyǔ,

Zhou Guanyu – How To Pronoun

The name is Zhou Guanyu is pronounced “ʈʂóʊ kwân.ỳ”

Why is Guanyu Zhou Name Backwards?

Guanyu prefers his name to follow the Chinese naming convention of putting the family name in front of the first name (Zhou Guanyu) instead of the Western naming convention of putting first names in front of the family name (Guanyu Zhou) – Link.

Guanyu Zhou Parents

Zhou was born in Shanghai, China. He hasn’t revealed any details about his parents. We assume that his parents belong to the same region.

His parents are allegedly wealthy, and his father owns 20 companies, of which a number of 4S stores are included.

His father founded the Guanyu Automobile Park in Weifang, Shandong.

Source: Hollywood Magazine

His Passage Through Motorsport

Guanyu is the first Chinese racing driver to enter the F1 world stage.

Karting (2013 – 2014)

Zhou Guanyu began his racing career at eight when he started karting. He quickly showed a talent for the sport and won several championships in China.

He moved to Sheffield in 2012 to experience a more competitive racing environment. In the mid of 2014, he joined the Ferrari Driver Academy while he was still involved in karting.

Zhou Guanyu then moved to Europe, racing in various junior categories to further his career.

In 2013, racing, he won the Super 1 National Rotax Max Junior Championship and the Rotax Max Euro Challenge with the Sheffield-based Strawberry Racing team.

Formula 4 (2015)

In 2015, Zhou joined the Italian Formula 4 Championship. He has had a very successful period.

zhou guanyu won each of the three races in Round 2 at Monza. He was also a consistent occupant of the podium. He ended the season as the vice-champion and the best rookie.

Formula 3 (2016 -2018)

He started his first season off very strong by finishing in 2 podium positions at the Paul Ricard and Hungaroring tracks. Zhou struggled to get on the pace during the 2nd half of the season, and he only finished 13th in the final season standings.

He had better results in his second season. Racing for Prema, he improved to 8th place in the final standings. During the season, he achieved 5 podium finishes.

He led race number 3 in Spa and was credited for holding back Lando Norris in the penultimate round.

He remained with Prema for the 2019 season (his last in Formula 3). Although he had some good drives, he suffered a few collisions and punctures, causing him to not finish four races in a row.

His final tally was eighth place in the championship.

Formula 2 (2019 – 2021)

Zhou joined the F2 series driving for UNI-Virtuosi Racing with teammate Luca Ghiotto.

In his first year, he finished seventh in the championship. He earned the Anthoine Hubert award as the highest-finishing and best rookie.

In 2020 he had a successful year. During the season, Zhou achieved 6 podiums and finished sixth in the championship.

He remained with the UNI-Virtuosi team for his third year and ended the season third in the championship, achieving 4 wins, 1 pole, and 9 podiums.

F3 Asian Championship

Before the 2021 Formula 2 season began, he raced in the 2021 F3 Asian Championship and drove for Abu Dhabi Racing by Prema.

He had good success and won the championship. He won four races, 5 poles, and 11 podiums in the season.

Formula 1

Zhou’s performances in Formula 2 impressed many and helped him move to F1.

Before this, In 2014, Zhou’s first involvement in F1 happened when he joined the Ferrari Driver Academy.

When the 2020 season resumed, he took part in three tests where he drove the Renault R.S.18. This included the post-season test at Yas Marina Circuit, where he raced next to Fernando Alonso.

Zhou remained part of the Alpine Academy for the 2021 season. He made his Formula One debut for the Alpine F1 Team. He drove the Alpine A521 in the first practice session of the Austrian Grand Prix.

Guanyu Zhou Alfa Romeo

In 2022 he signed for the Alpha Romeo team, where he raced alongside Valtteri Bottas.

Zhou ended the season in 18th position in the Drivers’ Championship and only scored 6 points compared to Valtteri’s 49.

Zhou Guanyu Accident Silverstone

He had a monster crash at the Silverstone Grand Prix.

At the first turn on lap one, a multi-car accident occurred.

George Russell’s Mercedes clipped Zhou’s Alfa Romeo, which flipped the Alfa Romeo upside down, crushing the roll hoop above the driver’s head. The car continued sliding upside down across the gravel trap, repeatedly smashing the halo against the ground.

The Alfa Romeo hit the barriers and launched into the catch fencing beyond. Zhou’s car stopped, stuck in the narrow space between the barriers and the fence.

He survived the impact, but the car trapped him. He feared it would catch fire.

The imposition of the halo saved his life.

He remains with the team for 2023.

The first three race results are listed below.

Zhou Guanyu Valtteri Bottas

Guanyu Zhou drives alongside Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo for 2022 and 2023. Valtteri’s years at Mercedes have stood him in good stead and made him a great mentor for the young Chinese driver.

Zhou Guanyu Alpine F1

Guanyu reports that he has no ties left with Alpine and is fully committed to Alfa Romeo.

Zhou Guanyu Number

Zhou races under the number 24. This helps him remember the basketball legend Kobe Bryant tragically killed his daughter in a helicopter accident.

What Role Does Zhou Guanyu play In UNICEF?

Apart from his racing career, Zhou is also a UNICEF ambassador and an ambassador for the Chinese Grand Prix.

He is a keen advocate of motorsport in China. He is passionate about encouraging more young people in the country to involve themselves in the sport.

Zhou Guanyu Official Website

His official website URL is.

周冠宇官方网站 (zhou-guanyu.com)

Guanyu Zhou Height Weight

He is 1.75 m tall and weighs 63 kg.

The other F1 driver’s heights and weights are at this link.

Zhou Guanyu – Salary

He earns $2 million per year with his contract with Alpha Romeo.

Zhou Guanyu – Girlfriend

He keeps his private life away from the spotlight and has never revealed whether he is in a relationship.

Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo Contract

The contract extends to the end of 2023. Whether or not he has a seat for 2024 will depend on his results in the 2023 year.

Chinese Sponsors

His Chinese sponsors include the following brands.

• Hengji Group
• Zhou Guanyu is the brand ambassador for the China division of the banking group HSBC.

Zhou Guanyu – General Sponsors

His list of “Non-Chinese” sponsors includes the following companies.

• Hublot’s watches.
• Playseat company for racing and flying simulators.
• Fanatec sim racing hardware brand.
• Puma a German apparel, footwear and accessories brand