Shanghai native Zhou first raced in Europe in 2010 following success in Chinese language language karting competitions.
He went on to maneuver to English metropolis Sheffield two years later, on the age of 12, to supply his career the impetus it wished, nevertheless the cultural shift was substantial.
“It was somewhat little bit of a shock, coming from an unlimited metropolis like Shanghai,” the current Sauber driver acknowledged. “Plus Sheffield is all the way in which by which up north and there’s no summer season really. Nonetheless nonetheless, my mechanics carrying shorts. And it’s a British issue, all the way in which by which as a lot as F3, F2… whatever the local weather, shorts and t-shirts.
“I cherished residing in Yorkshire, I’d focus purely on racing and going to highschool, finding out the language. I made some good associates, some good recollections with the group.
“I moved with my mum, I was so youthful – I couldn’t dwell alone. She sorted the whole thing. The help was important because of for the first few months, going to highschool, I didn’t really know what everyone was talking about as a result of language topic. So that was sturdy.
“Nonetheless in distinction with Shanghai and even London, everyone in Yorkshire is super-chilled. The tempo of life is way much less hurried. At school the lecturers had been really relaxed, serving to me to boost in every single matter. I’ve good recollections.”
Zhou had steady outcomes, along with profitable the Rotax Max Euro Trophy and being topped in Super 1 Nationwide Rotax Max, every inside the Junior class. Nonetheless, the extent of opponents was dramatically higher than what he had been used to.
Image by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
“After I bought right here to the UK I’d obtained really every championship in China. As a toddler, standing on the very best step of the podium every weekend… then I bought right here to the UK and I was ending open air the very best 10. These are heart-breaking moments for a kid, correct?
“Nonetheless I realised I wanted to steadily enhance my information to be aggressive in opposition to the perfect. So a yr later I was able to attain various podiums and start profitable. I was competing with Lando [Norris] once more then.
“Lewis Hamilton’s title was on a variety of the championship trophies – that that they had the names of earlier winners etched into the bases. It was an unlimited issue for me to have my title on the similar trophy as a world champion!
“That was a necessary yr, 2013, profitable the British and European championships. It made me assume I’d acquire my dream.”
Zhou went on to develop to be a race winner at every diploma from F4 to F2, paving the way in which by which to his current Elements 1 career, throughout which he has achieved six points-scoring finishes in 48 grand prix begins with the Sauber squad.
Be taught the entire interview with Zhou Guanyu, throughout which he touches upon attending the inaugural Chinese language language GP as a four-year-old along with his time inside the Ferrari and Renault youthful driver academies, in GP Racing‘s May topic, which matches on sale this week.