Renault junior Guanyu Zhou conducts F1 test programme

Renault development driver Guanyu Zhou is putting F1 miles under his belt, the Chinese driver enjoying several outings recently onboard a 2017-spec R.S.17.

Zhou - who currently stands sixth in the FIA Formula 2 Championship with UNI-Virtuosi Racing - tested Renault's R.S.17 for the first time at Paul Ricard back in June.

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The 20-year-old then enjoyed a full day of running at the Red Bull Ring later that month before his third run in the car which took place on Wednesday in Barcelona, according to a report from Motorsport.com.

As the first driver from mainland China to drive a hybrid F1 car, Zhou represents his country's best opportunity of seeing one of its own reach F1, a prospect backed by Renault.

"We have a very clear sporting target for Zhou and we think he has the ability to be one of the best - if not the best - rookies in F2," Renault F1 boss Cyril Abiteboul told Motorsport.com.

"So far he has had a very strong season, maybe apart from Baku, which is a difficult track for certain conditions. Every other single race, he has delivered in according to his target.

"For the rest, he has the opportunities to drive an F1 car with us. But his focus has to be what he has to do in his own championship."

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