Zhou gets Alfa Romeo seat to become first Chinese F1 driver

The 22-year-old will replace Antonio Giovinazzi at Alfa Romeo next season where he will partner Valtteri Bottas. 

Zhou currently sits second in Formula 2 and is 36 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri heading into the final two rounds of the 2021 season. 

Having secured the sole-remaining seat at Alfa Romeo, Zhou’s signing completes the 2022 F1 grid. 

Zhou has claimed four victories during his four seasons in F2 and is on course to secure his best finish in the series. 

He also won this year’s Asian F3 championship and previously spent three years in European Formula 3, managing a best finish of eighth in the drivers’ standings in 2018. 

The formal announcement of Zhou’s promotion officially ends fellow Alpine junior Piastri’s hopes of graduating to F1 next year. 

The 20-year-old Australian would be unable to return to F2 should he go on to win this year’s title. 

Piastri was announced as Alpine’s reserve driver for 2022 on Tuesday morning.

Alongside Bottas, Zhou will be hopeful of a more competitive Alfa Romeo package with the team languishing in ninth-place in the 2021 constructors' championship.

Speaking of the news, Zhou said: “It is a privilege for me to start my F1 racing career with an iconic team, a team that has introduced so much young talent into F1 in the past,” Zhou said. “Now the dream is reality. I feel well prepared for the immense challenge of Formula 1, the pinnacle of my sport, alongside a proven, world-class talent in Valtteri Bottas.

“Next year the target will be to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible. To be the first ever Chinese driver in F1 is a breakthrough for Chinese motorsport history. 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.”

Team boss Frederic Vasseur added: “It is a pleasure to welcome Guanyu Zhou to Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN. He is a very talented driver, as his results in F2 have shown, and we are looking forward to helping his talent flourish even more in Formula One. We are proud of our line-up for 2022 and we are confident Zhou will form a very successful partnership with Valtteri. We are also looking forward to welcoming all the new Chinese fans who will join the team:

“Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN is a historical brand and one that embodies the spirit of Formula One and we will do our utmost to make the experience of our sport a great one in China.”