Zhou eager to get back behind the wheel in Austria: “Silverstone is in the past”

Could we imagine such a dark Grand Prix for Alfa Romeo at Silverstone? The Italian team saw its two cars abandon in Great Britain, with a mechanical problem for Bottas but above all a terrible accident for Guanyu-Zhou. The Chinese, whose car initially overturned before crashing against the fence at the first turn, aroused concern in the world of Formula 1. Fortunately, after a few precautionary examinations, the rookie came out without any injuries.

Better yet, the young 23-year-old driver does not seem affected by this accident. “By the time I left Silverstone last Sunday, I was already looking forward to getting back in the car. It was a big accident, and once again I'm grateful for the safety improvements over the last few years that allowed me to escape without injury. Silverstone is in the past and I'm just focusing on the weekend here in Austria. » The Alfa Romeo driver successfully passed a medical examination on Thursday, before the start of the weekend.

Finished the final medical check, all good to go! Thanks to all of the people who supported me during this time, means the world. ❤️ #AustrianGP LET'S GO! 💪🏼 pic.twitter.com/VdArFWcRoB

— 周冠宇 | Zhou Guanyu 🇨🇳 (@ZhouGuanyu24) July 7, 2022

Guanyu Zhou was stopped dead in his tracks: 4 points in Canada and three consecutive qualifications ahead of his teammate. The former academy pilot Alpine does not get alarmed and thinks that he can continue his momentum from Austria. “Our performance in Great Britain was promising, the car worked well. I'm looking forward to picking up where we left off after qualifying last weekend. » Zhou will also return to the Sprint race format for Formula 1. “It’s my second time after Imola, and I’m looking forward to that too. It's a good opportunity for us to put ourselves in a good position for Sunday. »

After Zhou's accident, “Austria is an opportunity to bounce back”

If the members of Alfa Romeo have gone from fear to relief in Great Britain, the Italian-Swiss team hopes to experience a calmer meeting at Spielberg. “This weekend in Austria is an opportunity to bounce back from Silverstone and immediately return to the level we have shown so far this year, said Frédéric Vasseur, Alfa Romeo team principal. We can build on the positives from last week: our pace, which allowed us to fight for the points, and the performance we showed throughout the weekend. »

The French director is counting on the special format of the Sprint race to place the two Hinwil cars at the top of the grid. “I am convinced that we can take another step forward and fight at the front of the pack. Sprint qualifying also gives us an additional opportunity to bring home points. » The Alfa Romeo team badly needs points if it wants to stay in the fight for 4th place in the manufacturer standings.

ALSO READ > Andretti denounces 'snob' attitude in F1 world