"More sponsors have called than in the last 25 years" - Guanyu Zhou has had an immediate impact on Alfa Romeo

Guanyu Zhou has brought in a flurry of potential sponsors and sponsorship inquiries, according to Alfa Romeo Racing principal Frederic Vasseur. The Chinese rookie, who will debut with the Hinwil-based squad for the 2022 season, has impacted the team in a budget-capped season, according to the French team principal.

Explaining Guanyu Zhou’s impact on the team, Frederic Vasseur told Motorsport Magazin:

“I think it's a huge opportunity for the company! Because in the past few weeks, more sponsors have called than in the past 25 years. For the company, for all sponsors — including the current sponsors — it is also a great opportunity and we will go in that direction.”

Replacing Ferrari-backed Italian driver Antonio Giovinazzi on the grid, Guanyu Zhou's selection by Alfa Romeo took some flak due to his financial backing possibly being a key reason behind his selection.

Without delving into numbers, Vasseur explained that Guanyu Zhou’s recruitment to the Alfa Romeo Racing has created a lot of movement in terms of potential sponsors, and financial opportunities. The F2 driver, who currently trails second in the championship of the F1 feeder series, will be the first Chinese driver on the F1 grid.

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Frederic Vasseur expects Guanyu Zhou to perform well in F1

Explaining what is expected from Guanyu Zhou performance-wise, Vasseur said:

“It could work for me if Zhou performs on the track. And it's always about balance. Check out what he's doing in Formula 2 now. I am convinced that he can do that in Formula 1 as well.”

Guanyu Zhou has driven in the F2 series for three seasons so far. He's won four races in total, with three wins coming in 2021. The future Alfa Romeo driver is currently running second in the championship against Alpine Academy reserve driver Oscar Piastri.

Vasseur has maintained that money wasn’t the only factor when it came to recruiting Guanyu Zhou. All the same, it is undeniable that the Chinese driver’s entry into the team opens up the Asian market for Alfa Romeo in terms of sponsors. The F2 driver will be driving alongside Valtteri Bottas in 2022.