Zhou's Austrian Gp: Will He Race?

Guanyu Zhou, the Chinese Formula One driver for Alfa Romeo, has raced in Austria. In 2021, Zhou made his Formula 1 practice debut with Alpine at the Austrian Grand Prix, taking part in FP1. Zhou was the second Chinese driver to take part in an official grand prix session, following Ma Qing Hua. In 2022, Zhou was involved in a spectacular crash at the British Grand Prix but returned to racing at the Austrian Grand Prix just five days later.

Guanyu Zhou's F1 practice debut in Austria

Guanyu Zhou made his Formula One practice debut in Austria in 2021, driving for the Alpine team. It was a significant milestone, as he became only the second driver from mainland China to participate in an F1 practice session. Zhou took part in the opening hour-long Friday session, driving double world champion Fernando Alonso's car.

Zhou, who was born in Shanghai, joined the Alpine Academy in 2019 and had been serving as the team's test driver. He had also been leading the Formula Two championship that year. Speaking ahead of his F1 practice debut, Zhou expressed his pride in representing China in F1 and his eagerness to maximise the opportunity:

> "Driving in FP1 at a Formula 1 Grand Prix weekend is like a dream coming true and another step closer to my ultimate goal of becoming a Formula 1 driver. It's going to be a very special moment. I'm preparing myself as much as I can to be ready and also ensure that I'm able to complete all the targets and plans that the team have set me to do... I'm very happy with my achievements so far and I'm very thankful for the support I have from those around me. My aim is to maximise this opportunity and I'm really looking forward to it."

Alpine CEO Laurent Rossi emphasised the importance of supporting young talent and recognised the value of this opportunity for Zhou's development:

> "The challenge for young drivers to get into F1 is incredibly hard, and we are proud to support upcoming talent on this road... This experience will greatly help him as he makes very solid progress towards the ultimate target that constitutes a full-time F1 seat."

In 2022, Zhou returned to Austria to race in the Austrian Grand Prix with Alfa Romeo, just days after a spectacular crash at the British Grand Prix. Zhou emerged unscathed from the high-speed accident and expressed his keenness to get back behind the wheel.

Zhou's tyre choice for the Austrian GP

Zhou Guanyu's tyre choice for the Austrian Grand Prix was a "risky" one, as the Chinese driver himself admitted. He chose to start the race on hard tyres, which ended up compromising his race due to excessive degradation. Zhou finished the main race in 14th place and felt that his setup was not optimal for the hard tyres, resulting in more degradation and less grip.

Zhou was the best-placed qualifier to start on the hard tyres, along with Yuki Tsunoda, Sebastian Vettel, and Fernando Alonso. However, he experienced issues with his tyre choice, stating that he "couldn't switch them on" and did not gain any reward from using the hard compound. In hindsight, he would have preferred to use two sets of medium tyres instead of the hard compound.

The Alfa Romeo driver's race weekend started on a challenging note as his engine cut out while driving to the grid for the sprint race on Saturday. This issue forced him to start from the pit lane, but he was able to recover to 14th place and gain a position on the Grand Prix grid due to a penalty for his teammate.

Despite the tyre challenges and the previous weekend's crash at Silverstone, Zhou remained positive and focused on the positives. He felt that he was able to overtake and defend his position during the race and was happy to be back racing again. The Chinese rookie expressed his eagerness to get back on track after the crash, showcasing his determination and resilience.

Overall, Zhou's tyre choice of starting the Austrian Grand Prix on hard tyres proved to be a "risky" strategy that did not pay off. The excessive degradation and lack of grip impacted his race performance, and he learned valuable lessons for future races.

Zhou's crash at the British Grand Prix

Zhous' Crash at the British Grand Prix

The 2022 British Grand Prix saw one of the most spectacular crashes in recent memory, involving Alfa Romeo's rookie driver, Zhou Guanyu. The 23-year-old Chinese driver suffered a terrifying, upside-down crash at the opening corner of the race, a mere five days before the Austrian Grand Prix.

The Crash

Zhou's car flipped upside down and out of control at 160 mph, trapping him between a steel barrier and metal catch fencing. It was a miracle that he emerged from the wreckage unscathed. The full force of the jaw-dropping accident was captured in numerous videos posted to social media by shocked fans in the Abbey grandstand.

Aftermath

Zhou was extracted from his wrecked car and taken to the on-track medical centre, where he was declared medically fit by the FIA. The young driver took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the support he received, thanking the marshals and medical team at Silverstone. He also shared his eagerness to get back on the track, stating, "I'm keener than ever to get back on track. See you guys in Austria."

A Quick Return to Racing

Despite the horror crash, Zhou Guanyu's resilience and determination to return to racing so soon after the accident are commendable. His experience serves as a testament to the safety measures in place within the sport, and his eagerness to get back on the track demonstrates his passion and dedication to Formula One racing.

Zhou's return to racing after the crash

Zhous' Return to Racing after the Crash

Zhou Guanyu, the 23-year-old Chinese rookie for Alfa Romeo, was involved in a spectacular crash at the British Grand Prix in 2022. He emerged unscathed from the 160mph crash, which saw him trapped between a steel barrier and metal catch fencing after being flipped upside down.

Zhou was quick to express his eagerness to get back behind the wheel, tweeting:

> "Hi everyone and thank you for all the kind messages. I want to thank the marshals and the medical team at Silverstone – they were really fantastic. I’m keener than ever to get back on track. See you guys in Austria."

And indeed, just five days later, Zhou returned to racing at the Austrian Grand Prix. This quick turnaround was beneficial for Zhou, who was pleased to be able to bounce back immediately.

Zhou's return to racing in Austria was not without its challenges, however. His weekend was compromised when his engine cut out as he drove to the grid for the start of Saturday's sprint, forcing him to start from the pit lane. Additionally, his choice to start the race on hard tyres proved to be a "risky" decision, as he struggled with excessive degradation. Despite these setbacks, Zhou was able to finish the main race in 14th place.

Zhou's return to racing after his crash demonstrates his resilience and determination to continue pursuing his Formula One career.

Zhou's chances of an Alpine seat

Zhou Guanyu is an outside contender for a seat at Alpine, the French F1 outfit. Zhou has been searching for a contract to secure his future in Formula 1, with Sauber unlikely to re-sign him. Zhou's future at Sauber is further jeopardised by the team's poor performance in 2024, with the C44 machine failing to secure any points so far.

However, Zhou's chances at Alpine are promising. Alpine has lost several big-name drivers in recent years, including Alonso, Piastri, and Ocon, and is now an increasingly undesirable option for top-quality talent. This gives Zhou a fighting chance, especially considering his commercial value. As Renault's rebranding to Alpine was essentially a marketing exercise, Zhou's ability to expand the brand into the Chinese market is a relevant factor. Indeed, Renault Group's recent collaboration with Chinese-owned Geely and Alpine's talks with Flavio Briatore indicate a possible transition that could play in Zhou's favour.

Zhou has been making a case for himself with strong performances. As Alpine's official F1 test driver, he has conducted regular private testing in F1 cars and participated in test and simulator sessions. Notably, he made his F1 practice debut with Alpine in Austria in 2021, taking part in FP1 for the Austrian Grand Prix. This was a significant step towards a full-time F1 seat, and Zhou expressed his gratitude and determination to maximise this opportunity.

Zhou's chances are also bolstered by his status as a Chinese-licensed driver. With few Chinese drivers in Formula 1, Zhou's presence would be a source of pride for China and a valuable marketing opportunity for Alpine.

While there is no rush for Alpine to make a decision, Zhou remains a strong contender for the 2025 seat, competing against other names such as Jack Doohan, Alpine's reserve driver.

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