China’s first Formula 1 racer, Stake F1 Kick Sauber driver ZHOU GUANYU, reveals what’s next for 2025…
The first time Zhou Guanyu attended a Formula One grand prix, he was six years old. It was 2005, and Zhou watched on as Spaniard Fernando Alonso took out the win at the second ever Shanghai Grand Prix. Nearly two decades later, China’s first F1 driver would race alongside his boyhood hero after inking a deal to join Swiss team Sauber (then Alfa-Romeo Sauber) in 2022. This past April, Zhou finally raced for a home crowd in Shanghai, a moment he considers not only a career highlight but a watershed moment for motorsport in China.
“It’s been extremely, let’s say, crazy, how the feedback was back in my home country,” he tells MAXIM. “I think because of my first breakthrough, getting on this grid, getting into Formula One, it really helps the sport in China a lot.” We sit down with Zhou ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, an event with happy memories for the 25-year-old racer. In 2023, he pulled off a gutsy effort out here in the desert and scored a top ten finish after originally qualifying a disappointing nineteenth.
“Last year Qatar was very special for me, I started P19 and finished P9,” he explains. “It’s definitely exciting to be going through this track where we had very good results.” We are struck by Zhou’s optimism ahead of the race at the punishing Lusail International Circuit, which is held under flood lights in the evening and was originally built for Moto GP. After all, Sauber had yet to notch a single point from either car in 2024 with just two races to go. The team has also replaced both Zhou and his Finnish teammate Valterri Bottas for 2025, meaning Qatar and Abu Dhabi will be both drivers final F1 races for now.
This year marked the third edition of the Qatar Grand Prix, which joined the calendar in 2021 to replace the Australian Grand Prix during the pandemic before making its permanent debut last year. Crucially, the Qatar F1 includes both a sprint race and the main event, meaning two separate opportunities for teams to score precious points, and in turn a larger share of the winnings at the end of the season.
Built in the desert outside Qatar’s second largest city, Lusail has already earned a reputation for high speeds and extreme heat. Last year, multiple drivers complained about heat exhaustion as the mercury reportedly cracked 50 degrees Celsius in cars, prompting Alonso to beg the pit to dump cold water in his car. Mercifully, this year’s event was staged as the penultimate Grand Prix of the season in the cooler November evenings.
As the cars drove into formation for the sprint race, the setting sun blurred with the flood lights and the desert sands so for a moment it appeared the drivers were racing on the moon. The sprint race was more of the same for Sauber, with Zhou finishing a disappointing 19th place on Saturday. But Sauber’s fortunes began to change during the qualifying rounds later that evening, with both Zhou and Bottas progressing to the second qualifying round for the first time all year. They ultimately locked in P12 and P13 on the grid, a respectable starting point with points tantalisingly within reach. “We don’t have a rocket ship, so it’s not easy to achieve points when you’re on the back of the grid in a normal race with no drama,” he told me before the race. Luckily for Zhou, the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix was full of drama.
Williams’ driver Franco Colapinto and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon collided on the first turn and retired early. Lance Stroll, Sergio Perez and Nico Hulkenberg would also admit defeat before the race’s end and Lando Norris was hit by a devastating 10 second penalty. Through the chaos, Zhou steadily rose from his twelfth place start into the points before a thrilling P8 finish, notching up four precious points for Sauber.
The Chinese driver was also crowned Driver of the Day by fans, a heartwarming vote of confidence for Zhou at a time of great uncertainty about his future in the sport. “I think, for me, it means the world in a situation like this, and I do feel like this season has been very a tough, a rough season for me, you know, not exactly where I wanted to be,” he said. “It’s massive motivation for whatever is next.”
Which brings us to the million-dollar question: where will Zhou Guanyu land in 2025? There are rumours he will become a reserve driver for a rival team or explore another series like Formula E, but Zhou confirms he is yet to sign anything. “I love driving. So, yeah, I think there’s a lot of ideas that are on table, and we’re looking at a lot of options to see where we’re going,” he said.
He remains coy about which teams are considering taking the driver on, which would presumably mean inheriting his massive fanbase in China. “All I can say is that it’s been very good offers from several different places, and I need to look into that (and) just follow my heart and try to understand exactly where I want to head off,” he said.
While Zhou’s determination to remain in racing is absolute, part of his F1 legacy at the moment must surely be his impeccable personal style. Alongside Lewis Hamilton, Zhou can be credited with helping turn the traditional paddock walk into a major fashion event. We meet again at a Puma store inside a cavernous Doha mall where Zhou is filming social media content for sponsors, a major responsibility for the modern Formula 1 driver. “It’s kind of my thing,” he said of his fashion icon status. “I’m into the fashion, into the style.” In addition to designing his race helmets and merch, Zhou has also worked with fashion heavy hitters like Dior on custom looks. Would he ever design a full collection? “I had my first collection for the Chinese Grand Prix in April this year with Lululemon,” he gently reminded me. “Obviously, the collection was not worldwide, it was only China so I think maybe you or a lot of people don’t see it, but yeah, I’m definitely willing to do more and I think it’s definitely back of my mind for the future.”
Then Zhou’s resolute focus on returning to the grid kicks back in. “My only interest is trying to fight back to be back on the grid in the near future,” he says. “I’m not talking about five years; I’m talking about two years or one year. “So, I need to make the decision very carefully and making sure it’s the right one to give me a good future ahead.” ■
Interview by REILLY SULLIVAN
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