Zhou Guanyu is a Chinese racing driver who currently competes in Formula One for the Stake F1 Team, better known as Sauber. He is the first and only Chinese driver to race in a Championship race and season to date.
| Nationality | Chinese |
|---|---|
| Born | Zhou Guanyu 30 May 1999 Shanghai, China |
Previously a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2014 to 2018 and a development driver for the Formula E team DS Techeetah in 2018, Zhou’s journey to F1 has seen him compete in the FIA Formula 2 Championship for UNI-Virtuosi Racing, where he finished third in the 2021 campaign. Zhou was also a test driver for both the Renault F1 Team and the Alpine F1 Team in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
For the 2022 Formula One season, Zhou inked a deal with Alfa Romeo, becoming China’s first full-time Formula One driver partnering with the experienced Valtteri Bottas. In a statement released after the announcement, Zhou emphasised his readiness to tackle the immense challenge of Formula 1 and underlined that his entry into the series would represent a historic milestone for Chinese motorsport.
Zhou selected 24 as his permanent racing number to pay tribute to his sports idol Kobe Bryant, who donned the same number during his illustrious career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite starting fifteenth on the grid in his debut at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, Zhou mounted a spirited comeback after a poor start and eventually finished in tenth position, earning himself a valuable point in his race debut.
He continued with the team in 2023 and 2024, the latter season under the rebranded Stake F1 Team. Zhou remained under contract until the end of the 2024 season; however, neither Zhou nor his 2024 teammate, Valtteri Bottas, remained with the team after the season ended. Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto were signed to join the Swiss squad for the 2025 F1 season, preparing for Sauber’s transition to Audi ownership. This ended a somewhat disappointing career for Zhou in F1
