Zhou: F1 popularity in China still growing despite race cancellations

Alfa Romeo charger Zhou Guanyu says Formula 1's popularity continues to grow in China despite the country's successive race cancellations due to the Covid pandemic.

Formula 1, which last raced in China in 2019, was initially scheduled to return to Shanghai this week. But last December, after assessing Covid transmission rates in the country, FOM along with the FIA opted to scrap the event once again from Grand Prix racing's calendar.

Rather than relaxing restrictions last year, Chinese authorities deployed snap lockdowns and contact tracing, but that approach only served to frustrate residents who took to the streets to protest their governments firm grip on their daily lives all the while Covid cases reached all-time highs.

Zhou - China's first F1 driver who began his career at the top echelon of motorsport in 2022 with Alfa - has therefore yet to enjoy the special experience of racing on home soil.

The 23-year-old admitted to being disappointed by his home race's successive cancellations, but the Alfa charger says he will bide his time.

"I’m disappointed but I kind of saw this coming because of the restrictions, we didn’t open the border early enough," Zhou told Sky Sports. "So when we had the race scheduled for April, I knew everything was too tight.

"I saw it coming but I don’t feel too bad because I feel like the home race will come, it’s just a matter of time."

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Since its inception in 2004, the Chinese Grand Prix has been an important race for F1. With the world's largest population and a rapidly growing middle class, the country is a huge potential market for the sport .

The Chinese government has also recognized the economic and social benefits of hosting international sporting events like Formula 1 races, and has actively supported the development of the sport in the country.

Finally, Zhou's emergence as a young talent has acted as a major catalyst to further boost China's interest in F1.

"I have no doubts all the tickets will be sold out really quickly, and that it will be packed with people around the whole circuit," Zhou said, when asked about F1's return to Shanghai, likely in 2024.

"I’ve felt the popularity improve growing up, recent years, especially the last few years since I became an F1 driver.

"There are a lot of people who just want to go on a track day, driving themselves, and are also interested in watching races – so it’s nice to see that."

Zhou reckoned that F1's return to China will offer the opportunity for a new contingent of younger fans to discover the sport.

"I think the most important part, the next big step, will be having the home race so that people newly interested in Formula 1 can actually experience that themselves and they can really feel the impact and energy of the sport," he concluded.

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