Zhou Guanyu says it was tough to block out negativity when he first joined F1 two years ago!

As the first official Chinese driver in Formula 1, Zhou Guanyu’s journey hasn’t been without its challenges. From the start of his F1 career, his abilities were constantly doubted, with many fans believing that his entry into the sport was primarily due to the financial backing he provided his team. However, after two seasons of F1 racing, Zhou has silenced his critics with his on-track performances. Reflecting on his early days in F1, Zhou admits it was difficult to ignore the negative comments.

Zhou shared, “In November 2021, when Alfa Romeo announced my seat as a race driver, I knew how people perceived me – it was almost impossible to shield myself from those voices.”

He found it hard to tune out the skepticism, stating, “It was tough because I had dedicated my life to this opportunity, my family sacrificed so much – we moved from China to Sheffield when I was 12, gave everything. Before even getting a chance to race, there were already comments like ‘he doesn’t deserve it, it should be someone else, he’s only here because of the money.'”

Zhou also acknowledges that such doubts are par for the course, but they also served as motivation. He explained, “I understand that people are entitled to their opinions. Of course, there are many complexities in F1, and I’m aware of them as much as anyone else. It’s hard to see everything from the outside. I’m immensely grateful to be here, it’s a huge honor for me. But at the end of the day, I’m just an ordinary person, someone who can still hear what’s being said on my phone.”