SOCHI, RUSSIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Guanyu Zhou from China and UNI-Virtuosi Racing prepares to during Sprint race 1 of Round 6: Sochi of Formula 2 Championship at Sochi Autodrom on September 25, 2021 in Sochi, Russia, to drive.
Alex Grimm – Formula 1 | Formula 1 | Getty Images
Guanyu Zhou will replace Antonio Giovinazzi in 2022 and will partner with Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo, completing the grid for the new era of Formula 1.
Zhou, a valued Formula 2 prospect, becomes the first full-time Chinese F1 driver and also ensures that Alfa, currently ninth in the championship, has a completely new driver line-up next year.
Bottas is the big new addition to the team for 2022 from Mercedes. Kimi Raikkonen’s record-breaking F1 career goes into the last three races.
Shortly before Zhou’s confirmation, the Italian team thanked Giovinazzi for his “extraordinary contribution” over three years, but he did not do enough to discourage the team from choosing the 22-year-old “trailblazer” to reserve Alpine has tested drivers and will be the only rookie on the grid for next year.
“To be the first Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough in Chinese motorsport history,” said Zhou.
“From a young age I dreamed of climbing as high as possible in a sport I am passionate about and now that dream has come true.”
Team principal Frederic Vasseur added: “He is a very talented driver, as his results in Formula 2 have shown, and we look forward to developing his talent in Formula 1 even more.”
Alfa chooses the youth to complete the starting field in 2022
Giovinazzi joined Alfa Romeo in 2019 as a Ferrari-backed driver and has shown improvements without the obvious fame that Charles Leclerc had with the team before him.
The 27-year-old Giovinazzi has overtaken Raikkonen this year, but still scored fewer points than the experienced Finn and finished only eight times in the top 10 with a best time of five at the 2019 Brazilian GP in his 57 races in F1.
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His exit leaves F1 without an Italian driver.
Alfa’s signing from Zhou, meanwhile, is yet another F1 demonstration of confidence in a talented young group of drivers.
Zhou has raced in the F2 feeder series for the past three seasons, finishing 7th in 2019 and sixth in 2020.
During this time he has won four races, including three this year.
His arrival also completes the grid as all 10 teams have confirmed their two-driver roster for a season that will welcome brand new rules and brand new cars.
Alfa is one of only three teams to change their line-up. Mercedes has replaced Bottas with George Russell, while Williams has moved in Alex Albon to fill that place.
There are still three races to go in the 2021 season, starting with Qatar’s debut GP this weekend, live on Sky Sports F1.
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