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April 19, 2024

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Zhou hopes F1 Chinese GP becomes a turning point of 2024

By Ma Yue | 00:00 UTC+8 April 19, 2024 | Print Edition

Chinese Formula One driver Zhou Guanyu is finally facing the most important race of his career so far, competing in his first Chinese Grand Prix at the Shanghai International Circuit on April 21.

Racing in front of an expectant home crowd in suburban Jiading District, motivation and pressure coexist for the 24-year-old, who is yet to win his first points of the 2024 season, both for himself and his Kick Sauber team.

Making good use of the 10-day break between the Japanese GP and the Chinese GP, Zhou caught up with friends in Shanghai and appeared in a handful of brand-sponsored activities to interact with local fans.

In an earlier conducted exclusive interview with Shanghai Daily, the promising Chinese sports star shared his expectations for his Shanghai debut, as well as his thoughts on life and career.

Q: Considering your performance and that of your competitors this season, what are your expectations for the Chinese Grand Prix?

A: Looking at how the previous four races on the calendar have unfolded, I am expecting the pack to be quite tight — tenths and hundredths of a second will make the difference between Q1 (first qualifying), Q2 and so on.

It has been a difficult start to the season for me and my team. An 11th-place finish in Bahrain was a good opener, but we encountered some problems later. The speed gap between us and the top-five teams has been obvious. I hope the Chinese Grand Prix will be a turning point. It will be great if I can finish in the top 10 and win the first points of the season.

I’m looking forward to racing in Shanghai. This is my hometown, where I grew up, and where it all started for me. I actually flew to China straight after the Japanese Grand Prix. My documentary movie “The First One” was just released (on April 16). Meanwhile, there has been a lot going on, but once I get on the track and I am in the cockpit, my focus will be on the racing.

Q: How much do you know about the Shanghai International Circuit?

A: I have only driven on this track for a couple of demo runs back in 2019. Since then, I have got the most of my insight from simulator runs.

Personally, I love this track, as it holds so many memories of when I used to come here as a kid and dreamed of making it into Formula One.

With the race being the first sprint event of the season, it’ll be important to get a good understanding of the track and how the car behaves on it straight away, in order to be at the forefront with an efficient strategy.

Q: How do you usually prepare for a race, and how do you release pressure?

A: I do a series of fitness exercises before a race to wake up the muscles, especially the neck and cervical spine, as they are important for a driver. I also do some reaction training to prepare my eyes and visual reflexes before the five red lights go off.

I enjoy playing with my cat, SweetCorn, and playing videogames as a way to relax after a busy day. I’m also very passionate about fashion, and I do enjoy taking part in photoshoots for magazines from time to time. Formula One is a highly demanding job, so it’s important to have some other interests to enjoy.

Q: What progress have you made as an F1 driver? How does your personality help in your career?

A: Time flies, and this is already my third season. I feel like I have grown quite a lot, both as a driver and as a person. My ability to protect tires has improved. I lacked experience in the previous two years, so I have adjusted my driving style in winter training to better adapt to and cooperate with the Pirelli tires. The other thing is starting. Compared to the first season, I am more stable and will not lose my position at the start of the race.

Also, I play a bigger part in taking decisions with the engineers, in influencing the development of the car. It’s a bigger role and one I relish.

I have a steady personality. As the first Chinese F1 driver, I need to be steady when competing abroad. It is also this kind of personality that has helped me progress step by step from karting, F4, to F1. I also hope that my career performance so far can set an example for future young Chinese drivers who follow me. Everyone’s dream is different, but I hope everyone can give it a try. If you really like something, be prepared to devote everything to it.

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