Picture Credit: Formula 1
Alfa Romeo endured a below-average performance in the 2021 Formula 1 season. With only 3 Middle-Eastern races to go, the team is placed second-last on the grid with only 11 points registered against their name. Taking major actions to rectify their mistakes and challenge other teams in the upcoming season, Alfa Romeo has confirmed their driver line-up for the next season, including the 22-year-old sensation Guanyu Zhou, who will be the first-ever Chinese driver in Formula. The team confirmed the same with an announcement on Tuesday.
Guanyu Zhou will be replacing the veteran Antonio Giovinazzi in Alfa Romeo, who has been left out from the grid for the 2022 season. The team described the signing of the ace Chinese driver as a trailblazer who will write a pivotal page of his country’s motorsport history. Apart from being an F2 driver, Guanyu Zhou has already had some Formula 1 experience as he was Alpine’s test driver.
Guanyu Zhou becomes the last driver to finalise 2022 line-up
“To be the first-ever Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history," said Guanyu Zhou. “I know a lot of hopes will be resting on me and, as ever, I will take this as motivation to become better and achieve more."
“I dreamt from a young age of climbing as high as I can in a sport that I am passionate about and now the dream has come true," Alfa Romeo quoted Zhou. “It is a privilege for me to start my Formula 1 racing career with an iconic team, a team that has introduced so much young talent into Formula 1 in the past. Now the dream is reality.”
Those who are not aware of Guanyu Zhou, he finished second in Italian F4 in 2015, before securing race victories in Euro F2 and F3 and F1’s feeder series. He is currently placed second in the current F2 season and looks all set to challenge for the championship with 2 races remaining in the calendar.
Looking at the confirmed driver line-up for 2022, this is how the grid will shape like next season-
Mercedes- George Russell, Lewis Hamilton
Red Bull- Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
McLaren- Lando Norris, Daniel Ricciardo
Aston Martin- Sebastian Vettel, Lance Stroll
Alpine- Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon
Ferrari- Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
Alfa Romeo- Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou
AlphaTauri- Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly
Williams- Nicolas Latifi, Alex Albon
Haas- Nikita Mazepin, Mick Schumacher