The last place in the Formula 1 field is no longer empty, Alfa Romeo announces the driver who will work with team newcomer Valterri Bottas in 2022.
There has been much speculation about who will get the second seat at Alfa Romeo, with current racing driver Antonio Giovinazzi rumored to get the ax. A number of drivers had fought for place, but Alfa closed the discussion with an official announcement from team principal Frederic Vasseur.
Antonio Giovinazzi is out and Guanyu Zhou is in, making him China’s first Formula 1 driver
Guanyu Zhou from China prepares for sprint race 1 of the Formula 2 championship at the Sochi Autodrom on September 25, 2021 | Alex Grimm / Getty Images
Guanyu Zhou is currently driving in Formula 2, the springboard series that brings talent into Formula 1. He’s runner-up overall behind Australian Oscar Piastri, another name associated with the seat, with two races and six races in the season.
Zhou was a Ferrari Academy driver before joining Renault Academy as a development driver in 2019. In 2020, the Chinese ace switched to the role of test driver and stayed in that position when Renault was relaunched as the Alpine F1 team. At the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, Zhou got his first impression of a Formula 1 car when he drove the Alpine during the first practice session.
Those ties with Alpine must end now with Alfa Romeo rivals using Ferrari’s engine and powertrain. Formula 1 teams protect their secrets and Ferrari won’t want Zhou to give Alpine information about his engine.
It’s unlikely that Zhou would mind leaving Alpine for a full-time drive in Formula 1, as that opportunity with Alfa Romeo fulfills the Chinese star’s goal.
Frederic Vasseur and Guanyu Zhou both talk about the new relationship
There’s a lot of excitement for Zhou as this announcement marks the culmination of a lifelong goal and makes history for Chinese motorsport fans.
Speaking at the official announcement, Zhou said, “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. It is a privilege for me to start my Formula 1 racing career with a legendary team, a team that has brought so many young talents into Formula 1 in the past.
“Now the dream is a reality. I feel well prepared for the immense challenge of Formula 1, the premier class of my sport, together with a proven world-class talent in Valtteri Bottas. I would like to thank the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN team for this opportunity. For the next year the goal will be to learn as much as possible and as quickly as possible.
“To be the first Chinese driver in Formula 1 is a breakthrough in Chinese motorsport history. I know that I have a lot of hopes and, as always, I will use this as a motivation to get better and achieve more. “
Alfa Romeo Team Principal Frederic Vasseur added: “It is a pleasure for us to welcome Guanyu Zhou to Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN.
“He is a very talented driver, as his results in Formula 2 have shown, and we look forward to developing his talent even more in Formula 1, a very successful partnership with Valtteri.”
It goes without saying that both Zhou and Alfa Romeo are delighted with the announcement and will continue the positive messages during the off-season and honeymoon periods of their relationship. The reality for both will be a performance expectation and Zhou will have to add points to the board as Alfa Romeo seeks to compete higher up the grid.
The Alfa Romeo F1 team has the ability and talent to challenge the bigger, more established teams on the grid, but they now have two new drivers for the upcoming season who will need time to get used to their surroundings and get used to that Adapt driving the car. Valtteri Bottas is a well-known figure and proven race winner, Zhou is an unknown figure and will face the pressure of Formula 1 competition and be measured against his teammate.
It is reasonable to expect Zhou to compete in multiple races over the next year to be comfortable in front of his true pace and competitiveness when fully known.
What is happening now to Giovinazzi and what does the Formula 1 field look like for 2022?
Alfa Romeo Racing’s Antonio Giovinazzi prepares for grid position ahead of the sprint ahead of the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix on November 13, 2021 | Peter Fox / Getty Images
Antonio Giovinazzi’s struggles at Alfa Romeo are well documented and this season has proven to be a challenge for the Italian. After announcing that his journey was coming to an end, Giovinazzi wasted no time in announcing his future plans for the team he has been working with since 2019. The likeable Italian is switching to Formula E as a driver for the Dragon Penske team.
With the starting line-up for the Formula 1 season 2022, here is the complete driver line-up:
Mercedes GP: Hamilton / Russell
Red Bull Racing: Verstappen / Perez
Ferrari: Leclerc / Sainz
McLaren: Norris / Ricciardo
Alpine F1 team: Alonso / Ocon
AlphaTauri: Gasly
Aston Martin F1: Vettel / Stroll
Williams F1: Albon / Latifi
Alfa Romeo F1 Team: Bottas / Zhou
Haas F1: Schumacher / Mazepin
Related: Formula 1 driver Antonio Giovinazzi bet on himself and lost when he disregarded team orders
The post The 2022 Formula 1 network is complete as Alfa Romeo announces the driver partnership with Valtteri Bottas first appeared on monter-une-startup.
