“Zhou Guanyu is raising the game” - Chinese F1 star earns plaudits from Alfa Romeo for matching Valtteri Bottas

Alfa Romeo's head of trackside engineering Xevi Pujolar has praised Zhou Guanyu for his performances this season.

Zhou became China's first full-time Formula 1 driver when he joined Alfa Romeo in 2022. He picked up one point in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, four points at the Canadian GP and another one point in Italy.

While the 23-year-old ended 2022 ranked 18th in the drivers' standings, he has shown an improvement in his performances this year.

After finishing behind teammate Valtteri Bottas in Bahrain, Zhou Guanyu qualified and finished ahead of the more experienced Finn in Saudi Arabia. He then repeated that feat at the Australian GP.

Praising Zhou for stepping up in his second season with Alfa Romeo, Pujolar said (via motorsport.com):

"I think Zhou is raising the game. And I would say now they are both quite even. That's good for us. Qualifying [in Australia] was not ideal but in the last two qualifying sessions, they are close to Q3, both of them and that's good for the team."

He added:

"He's more confident. And then working with Valtteri as well and that's how we can [make steps] with both drivers together. And it gives himself confidence as well."

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As Zhou Guanyu enters final year of Alfa Romeo contract, he remains hopeful of having a future in F1

While Zhou Guanyu's contract with Alfa Romeo expires at the end of the 2023 season, the Chinese driver is confident about staying in the sport beyond this year.

Though Zhou is aware that F1 teams rarely give second chances to drivers these days, he hopes to make a positive impression on the paddock and ensure he doesn't exit the sport early. He said (via Total-Motorsport):

"This sport is hard, for all the drivers, that’s how it goes, and I’m sure that the most important [thing] for drivers is just starting [the season] where I finished off to become a complete driver."

He added:

"If the team and the paddock can see that. There’s no question why I couldn’t stay longer because I always aim to try and stay here as long as I can until I finish racing."

Zhou is currently P15 in the 2023 drivers' standings and will be in action when F1 heads to Azerbaijan for the Baku Grand Prix.