Alfa Romeo has officially extended its deal with Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu keeping him with the team till 2023.
Zhou Guanyu made his debut with the team this season only. The rookie went on to score points in his debut race finishing P10 in Bahrain. The Chinese driver followed that with two more points finishes in Canada and Monza.
Alfa Romeo’s team said that they have been impressed by his “commitment and attitude” as he has displayed “levels of maturity and racecraft that belie his young age”.
The 23-year-old has also made a strong relationship with teammate Valtteri Bottas that has also helped him secure the seat. Bottas is on a multi-year deal with the team.
“I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou,”
said Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur.
“From day one with the team, at the Abu Dhabi test last year, he has impressed me with his approach to work and this is always a very positive trait. We knew he was quick, but the way he adapted to Formula 1 in such a short time has been one of the best surprises of our season.
“He is a very nice guy, everyone in the team likes both his personality and attitude. He has had the humility to ask questions and learn, from the engineers as well as Valtteri. And the intelligence to apply all the information he got to improve race after race.
Vasseur believes that the future ahead is bright for both Zhou and the team:
“He will have this experience to draw on next season. And I am sure he will make another step forward as we continue to grow our team.”
Zhou is delighted with the news
Zhou Guanyu was plagued this campaign by multiple reliability issues. Due to this his current points and standings don’t reflect his true potential.
Zhou added:
“I am happy and grateful to Alfa Romeo F1 Team for the opportunity to be part of the team for another season.
“Making it to Formula 1 was a dream come true and the feeling of competing for the first time in a race will live with me forever. The team has been incredibly supportive, welcoming me from day one and helping me adapt to the most complex series in motorsport.
“There is more that I want to achieve in this sport and with the team. And the hard work we have put together since the start of the year is just the first step towards where we want to be next season.
“There is still a lot to learn, a lot to develop but I am confident in our work. I am looking forward to the next chapter of our story together.”
Zhou has bagged 6 points this season so far. The Chinese driver sits in the 17th position behind Yuki Tsunoda.
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