As a young aspiring racer, Zhou Guanyu dreamed of following one day in the footsteps of his childhood hero, Fernando Alonso. Little did the Chinese charger know that he would one day evolve from fanboy to F1 teammate.
From a young age, Zhou was captivated by the world of Grand Prix racing and by Alonso’s driving prowess in particular.
He would spend countless hours glued to the television, emulating the Spaniard's maneuvers with his toy cars.
His bedroom walls were adorned with Alonso posters, further cementing his admiration for the legendary driver.
“I was a fan for so long. I still am,” he remembered, in an interview with The Players’ Tribune. “I went to every Chinese Grand Prix, and I still would if I weren’t racing. It’s who I am.
“If I could take you back in time with me and show you my room from when I was a boy, you’d laugh your head off. I had Fernando Alonso posters all over the walls. It looked like the room of a teenager idolising their favorite pop star.
“I sat in front of the TV at all sorts of weird hours, with the volume turned all the way down, as my parents slept a few rooms over. And I would just dream.
“I’d pick my favourite little toy cars off the table and push them around the carpet as I watched Michael [Schumacher] and Fernando and Kimi [Raikkonen] win races. I knew that’s all I wanted to do.”
As Zhou's passion for motorsport grew, he embarked on his own racing journey, competing in various junior categories.
His talent and dedication gradually earned him recognition, leading him to the doorstep of Formula One. In 2021, Zhou joined the Alpine F1 Team's Academy, where he had the opportunity to learn from none other than his idol.
A 6-year-old Zhou Guanyu waving the flag of his favourite driver - Fernando Alonso - at the 2005 Chinese GP.
But the Chinese driver’s big – and indelible – moment came at the Austrian Grand Prix where he was handed an FP1 outing with Alpine and an opportunity to prove his mettle.
“I was still in F2 at the time, but I was really hoping to get an F1 seat for the next year,” Zhou commented. “Alpine offered me a session, and it was in Fernando’s car. In his car!
“I’d seen him win in China when I was six years old. I helped my mum put up all those posters in my room. I wore a copy of his helmet during my karting career. He was my guy. And my first F1 weekend was in his car. It felt so surreal.”
It was an experience beyond Zhou’s wildest dreams. To be behind the wheel of an F1 car, let alone Alonso's race car, was a moment of pure bliss for the young driver.
As he shared his experiences with the Spaniard, the two-time world champion offered some valuable words of encouragement and advice, further fueling Zhou's determination and F1 ambitions.
“I walked the track with him and the team,” he continued. “I asked him as many questions as I could, and he was unbelievably kind.
“He told me to be free, to enjoy it out there – to just do what I know how to do. He texted me the night before and let me know I could always reach out to him.
“The next day I got in the car and I looked at the steering wheel like, ‘That’s Fernando Alonso’s steering wheel’. And the session went by like a blur.
“On my cooldown lap, I remember my engineer telling me [Lewis] Hamilton’s time, that [Sebastian] Vettel was on a hot lap, and I had to pinch myself. I felt like I was so close to everything I’d wanted. It made me just push harder.”
Zhou's F1 debut in 2022, with Alfa Romeo, marked a significant milestone in his career. He had finally achieved his childhood dream, standing alongside the drivers he had admired for so long.
While the journey was not without its challenges, Zhou's passion for racing and his unwavering belief in himself kept him pushing forward.
Now, in 2024, Zhou is preparing for his third F1 season, still fueled by the same passion and determination that has guided him since his childhood.
He has come a long way from the young boy with Alonso posters on his walls, but one thing remains constant: his enduring love for the sport and his steadfast belief in himself.
As he continues to blaze his trail in Formula 1, Zhou Guanyu is sure to inspire a new generation of aspiring racers, just as Fernando Alonso inspired him.
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