Assessing Zhou’s shaky prospects in F1 and whether he faces bias against Bearman’s backdrop.
While Zhou’s future seemed sealed for next year, could the arrival of Mattia Binotto at Sauber/Audi rescue Guanyu Zhou?
On paper, the Chinese driver would not deserve to stay at Sauber next year: he has been substantially outperformed by Valtteri Bottas in qualifying (13 to 1) and is enduring his worst F1 season to date.
However, according to The Race, Zhou remains optimistic about his prospects, particularly due to the arrival of Mattia Binotto. Zhou is well-acquainted with the former Scuderia boss, having been a member of the Ferrari Academy in the past.
“For the future, or for next year, it’s certainly better. I’ve known him for quite some time now, having been involved in the Ferrari academy a few years ago.”
What if Mattia Binotto were to offer Guanyu Zhou the role of third driver for Sauber/Audi going forward? For Audi, aiming to penetrate the Chinese market, having a driver—even as the third—could be crucial.
“I want to stay in this championship. That’s what I want to do. But as for my role… if I become the third driver, I haven’t thought about it yet. My aim is to secure a seat because there’s still, I would say, a fifty-fifty chance or more of securing a seat for me next year.”
Zhou’s qualifying performance, however, presents a significant setback: Valtteri Bottas has beaten him 13 to 1 in qualifying in 2024 so far. What can Zhou say in his defense?
“In race trim, we are on the same level. On several occasions, I’ve been slightly faster than him.”
“It’s tough for me because the car doesn’t suit my driving style over a single lap and requires a very high level of fluidity, smoothness too.”
“My driving style is a bit more aggressive, which has worked well in the past few years with the car, especially last year—I always managed to get it set up right. This year, I’ve struggled a lot, but all I can say is that I’m working to adapt.”
“Yet, even with Valtteri’s driving style, the car is not fast enough. Unfortunately, that’s the reality. It places the car in a much narrower window, which compounds my difficulties.”
Zhou Faces Harassment Over Nationality
Guanyu Zhou is also contending with mental challenges, particularly facing racist harassment on social media since his signing with Sauber/Alfa Romeo in 2021.
“It’s quite clear that in 2021, when I signed a contract with Alfa Romeo, there was a lot of racist harassment because people were not following my career.”
“I had finished third in F3, winning four races that year…”
Zhou then compares his situation to that of Oliver Bearman, who is set to be promoted by Haas F1 next year despite a challenging season in F2…
“And now, you see a driver who isn’t in the top 10 in F2 receiving a seat (Bearman), and there’s a lot of support for him.”
“This shows that prejudices based on nationality are a reality. It’s hard to change when you’re Asian and come from different Asian countries, but it doesn’t worry me.”
“I think no one expected to see a Chinese driver in F1, and I don’t think there will be another in the next five or ten years.”
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Zhou vs. Bearman: Fair Play in F1 Opportunities? Zhou vs. Bearman: Fair Play in F1 Opportunities?
