Sportingly, does Zhou deserve his place?

The best way to judge the accession of Guanyu-Zhou en F1 is to put aside your nationality and the financial aspect. Is what he achieved in the Junior categories sufficient to legitimize his graduation into F1 “on merit”? After four seasons in karting, the Chinese started his career car in Italian F4 in excellent conditions with Prema, winning second place in the championship behind Ralf Aron in 2015. But he was unable to confirm the following year in F3 Europe, with a 13th place within the Motopark team, where he was beaten by his three teammates. Zhou completed two further campaigns in the category with Prema in 2017, but each time hit the glass ceiling of 8th place. After three years in F3, the Shanghai native decided to move up F2 with UNI-Virtuosi. For his first season, he finished 7th in the championship, but above all best rookie.

While we imagined him playing for the title in 2020, he ended the season in only 6th place with a victory, outrageously dominated by his teammate Callum Ilott, who finished runner-up. In 2021, he won the first title of his career and some big super-license points in F3 Asia, beating Pierre-Louis Chovet at the last meeting. Before taking part, this season, in his “last year in F2” as he himself announced last March. Zhou is currently second in the championship with two rounds remaining. But his Achilles heel is undoubtedly being dominated by a rookie, who is also a member of theAlpine Academy, the Australian Oscar piastri. Everyone will have their own opinion on the sporting merit of Guanyu Zhou. One thing is certain, the results (and experience) of the Chinese have allowed him to develop a coherent and competitive level, which today allows him to be a serious candidate for the F2 coronation. However, an honorary title of vice-champion (if it were to validate it) after three years in the antechamber of the premier category, does not, usually and historically, allow one to move up to F1 on purely sporting and independent criteria. from the financial aspect.