At the upcoming Shanghai Grand Prix, Stake F1’s Zhou is set to break new ground as he gears up for a historic race, poised to make history as the first Chinese driver in his home GP.
For the first time in history this weekend, a Chinese driver will compete in a home F1 Grand Prix. Twenty years after the race was added to the calendar, and five years after the last event, as Covid subsequently canceled the event for several years, Guanyu Zhou will race in front of his home crowd for Stake F1.
“I could not be more excited to finally race on my home ground in Shanghai,” said the driver. “Being the first Chinese driver to race in Formula 1 in China means a lot to me; it fills me with immense joy, pride, and responsibility.”
“This is not just a race for me. After four years of absence, the championship finally returns and, with a Chinese driver on the grid, we are going to make history. It’s an opportunity to inspire and pave the way for future generations to take an interest in this sport.”
“We have seen the passion that awaits us when the tickets went on sale and sold out within a few hours; my country loves motor racing and has been looking forward to this moment for years.”
“For me, however, the focus remains on performance. Once on the track, I will treat this weekend like any other and work hard to get the most out of the car.”
“I look forward to giving my all, sharing my passion with the entire team at the circuit and at home, and starting a new chapter in Chinese motorsport with the audience. But most of all, I look forward to having a good race and starting to score points again.”
Stake F1 will “feel the love and support” of the fans.
Valtteri Bottas is eager to see the reception that will be given not only to his teammate but also to the entire team he represents. The Finn is a big fan of the Shanghai circuit.
“It’s great to be back in Shanghai. It’s a nice circuit to drive and I’ve missed it. It’s a place where races can have a lot of action, as we’ve seen several times – like the last time we raced here in 2019,” says Bottas, although it could be said that the 1000th GP of the world championship was rather calm.
“With Zhou’s race, the first home Grand Prix for a Chinese driver, I’m sure we will feel the extra love and support of the fans, which will make our return here even more special.”
“The team has been working very hard to progress. At Suzuka, we showed a high race pace and stayed in the fight for points until the very end of the race, so we have a solid base to build on.”
“The factory team has continued to work on our car and we are doubling our efforts to fight for points this weekend. I’m looking forward to seeing our colors in the stands and putting on a great show for our Chinese fans.”
“A big moment” for Stake and its driver
Alessandro Alunni Bravi, the team representative, is pleased to see the progress made by his team in recent weeks, and he wants to confirm this to allow Zhou to achieve a good result in front of his home crowd.
“Shanghai is an opportunity to get back to work and score points. We feel the confidence growing within the team and we want to use it to achieve the results we expect. The past few weeks have been an opportunity to work hard with our drivers to squeeze even more performance out of our car,” notes the Italian.
“We can see that the car is improving at each race and we know that we can do everything possible to get a good result. Shanghai is the first Sprint weekend of the year, which also provides an opportunity to mix up the hierarchy. We are looking forward to it. The return to China is a big moment for our team and our sport.”
“Not only are we celebrating Zhou’s first home race – we expect an incredible welcome for him and the team – but also the return of Formula 1 to one of the most populated countries on the planet, which is a must for a World Championship. We know the stands will be full and we hope the show will be spectacular.”
Zhou Prepares to ‘Make History’ in Shanghai. Zhou Prepares to ‘Make History’ in Shanghai
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