EXCLUSIVE: Zhou Guanyu on F1’s fashion fever and favourite fits

When you think of F1, fashion probably won’t be the first thing that springs to mind. But the sport’s relationship with the industry is growing exponentially.

As F1 continues to increase its global appeal under Liberty Media, the sport’s glitz and glamour has attracted big name brands and celebrities such as Tommy Hilfiger, who entered a commercial sponsorship with Mercedes in 2018.

“The fashion world has now realised the potential that the sport has to reach global audiences,” seven-time F1 world champion and Tommy Hilfiger global brand ambassador, Lewis Hamilton, recently told The Business of Fashion.

Another one of F1’s most stylish figures is Zhou Guanyu. While his love for high-speed, high-octane competition keeps him motivated on-track, fashion is one of the biggest passions which drives the 25-year-old off it.

It is a common sight to see Zhou, along with some of the sport’s biggest stars including Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, rock up to the paddock wearing eye-catching and creative fits. Grand Prix Thursdays have started to resemble something of a catwalk, and the chance to show off his personality is something which the Chinese racer embraces.

"I always had that fashion interest in me,” Zhou told Crash.net at the Italian Grand Prix, held a stone’s throw from Milan, one of the four fashion capitals of the world (alongside New York, Paris and London). It was in Italy’s second-largest city where Zhou attended his first show at Milan Fashion Week.

“When I was growing up as a kid, I think like 12 or 13, my mum influenced [me] a lot. She loved to see me dress up in a cool way. A different age so of course you are dressing differently.

“But then from the age of 13 or 14 I was able to have my own kind of taste and decide what I want to wear. She let me do it because she could see that I wasn’t doing something stupid or crazy. Then things just started to have more influence on that side and to have that as a hobby.”

As well as his mother’s inspiration, Zhou has been encouraged to express himself freely after witnessing Hamilton, F1’s most successful driver, break the mould of what a racing driver wears at the track.

“In Formula 1, it was great with what Lewis has been able to do to finally bring the fashion and to have that Thursday to be a little bit of a fashion catwalk - a bit similar to what the NBA is doing when they walk into the stadium,” he explained, referring to the pre-game ‘tunnel walk’.

“I think it’s great to have that. I can see a massive change. I started to bring some fashion to the paddock and then some other drivers also started doing that. So now it’s become a usual thing on Thursday for all of the drivers and I’m happy with it.”

Following in Hamilton’s fashion footsteps, Zhou signed a deal last year which saw him become a brand ambassador for luxury French fashion giant Dior back in his home country. He has also collaborated with brands such as Lululemon and PUMA.

"For me Dior, Rick Owens, Chrome Hearts, I think these three brands at the moment are at the top of my list,” he said, listing the designers who have had a “massive” influence on his fashion choices. “That’s what I wear most of the time, either in this paddock or outside in casual life.”

When it comes to a specific item of clothing, Zhou has an obsession for trainers, amassing an impressive collection in his wardrobe. He also loves jeans, but not just any old jeans: limited, custom-made pairs which retail at a starting price of around £5,000 and are embellished with silver.

“In the past years I really loved sneakers, so I have a collection,” he said. “But now of course when you are signed with brands you can’t really wear some of the shoes, so it became a little bit less. I still buy them but just mainly keep them in the wardrobe.

“Now I’m a massive collector of Chrome Heart jeans. They are like £5k. They are impossible to get because they have real silver in them and leather stitches. I just find them really unique.”

Back on the track, Zhou’s chances of remaining on the F1 grid in 2025 are fading, with just one seat left up for grabs at Sauber. He faces the very real prospect of seeing his grand prix career come to an end after just three seasons - much earlier than he would have hoped.

While fashion will continue to captivate Zhou, he is determined to leave a lasting legacy for Chinese motorsport. He has already achieved several history-making milestones: becoming China’s first F1 driver, the first to score points, and the first to contest the Chinese Grand Prix.

This year’s race in China marked a full circle moment for Zhou, who’s love for F1 began watching his idol Fernando Alonso from the stands of the Shanghai International Circuit at the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix exactly two decades ago.

If this is to be the end of Zhou’s F1 story, he wants to give something back by inspiring the next generation of Chinese drivers.

“I would love to open a go-kart track back home,” he said of his post-racing plans. “I know Yuki [Tsunoda] would like a restaurant back home in Japan.

“I would like a go-kart circuit in Shanghai. That’s really related to my career so far, so I want people to have that. I think that’s going to be massively helpful for the younger generations back home.

“Of course fashion is a hobby, something I like to do, but I wouldn’t say I want to spend all my time [in that] when I’ve finished in motorsports. After motorsports you just want to have a nice, settled down life.”