Zhou Guanyu has expressed his relief at his impressive performance during the initial day of his debut at the Chinese Grand Prix, citing it as a welcome reprieve from the intense pressure leading up to the event. He successfully steered his Stake F1 car into SQ3, sharing the spotlight with teammate Valtteri Bottas.
Acknowledging the fervent support of the home fans at his inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, Zhou conveyed his gratitude, describing it as an honor, particularly amidst the extreme pressure preceding the event.
Despite being in his third F1 season, the absence of the Shanghai International Circuit from the calendar since 2019 meant Zhou had been eagerly awaiting his chance to compete in a home race. Now, he finds himself with not just one, but two opportunities this weekend.
The spotlight has been firmly on Zhou in the lead-up to the weekend, as he carries the weight of being China’s first F1 driver.
However, amidst unpredictable weather conditions, Zhou managed to secure a spot in SQ3, positioning himself tenth on the grid for Saturday’s sprint, alongside teammate Valtteri Bottas in ninth. This achievement marks a significant milestone for Stake as they pursue their first points of the season.
Reflecting on his performance, Zhou expressed his contentment, emphasizing the relief he felt given the immense pressure surrounding the occasion.
“It’s a big relief, you know. I’m just happy for today,” he shared with Sky Sports, encapsulating the satisfaction of his achievement under challenging circumstances.
“It was a lot of pressure coming to this weekend – high expectations like always, but first time at home, first day in the office, first time at the track. [It’s] just great to be in SQ3 for also my first time, I think, in my career.”
As Zhou navigated through each segment of sprint qualifying, the resounding support of the crowd echoed around the circuit, rallying behind the local favorite—a sentiment that Zhou finds deeply gratifying.
“Every time, before I jump in the car, even in the garage, I can see the crowd is all cheering. So, that is something – I’m so honored. I’m just happy that I was able to give them some kind of result and rewarding them to be coming here sitting in the rain.”
Throughout the season, pit stops have been Stake’s Achilles’ heel, plagued by a hardware issue that obscured their true pace and relegated the team to the lower ranks of the constructors’ standings.
However, with no mandatory pit stop in the sprint race, Saturday’s event presents a golden opportunity for Zhou and Bottas to seize elusive points.
“I think points is something we aim for, and if I want to score my first point of the season, I’m going to pick Shanghai – all day,” he exclaimed, adding: “So yeah, we’re gonna give it everything.”
When confronted with the notion that he now had momentum and could finally relish his home race, Zhou candidly disclosed the immense pressure he had been under in the lead-up to the event.
“Yeah, the pressure – I think before the weekend, it was so extreme,” he elaborated.
“Like I never felt in my first race I did on my debut. So yeah, everyone is here to see you and you just want to do well, and that’s where normally mistakes can happen, but I’m happy with day one.”
