Formula 1: Zhou Guanyu ‘super happy’ for Alfa Romeo team after coming 8th at Canadian Grand Prix
- Chinese driver bags best result of F1 career in Montreal and says it was no more than his team deserved
- Teammate Valtteri Bottas finishes seventh, as team boss calls drivers’ performance ‘a nice reward for a few tough weekends’
Zhou Guanyu breathed a huge sigh of relief after claiming the best result of his Formula 1 career at the Canadian Grand Prix, and said he was “super happy” to have just finally finished a race.
The Alfa Romeo driver was back in the points in Montreal, and although initially coming ninth, a place behind Valtteri Bottas, he and his teammate were later promoted one spot after Fernando Alonso was handed a five-second penalty.
At the top of the pile, Max Verstappen tightened his grip on the drivers’ world championship with victory from pole after he held off Ferarri’s Carlos Sainz in a thrilling finish at Circuit Gilles Vielleneuve.
Lewis Hamilton, who on Friday had called his car “undriveable”, finally got back on the podium to finish third ahead of Mercedes teammate George Russell in fourth.
Having become the first full-time Chinese driver in F1 at the start of the season, Zhou became the first of his countrymen to start from the top 10 on the grid, and after having to retire in three of the past four races, the luck finally went his way.
“Yeah, finally, it’s like a big deep breath that we have what’s been missing for the past few rounds, and finally we get to finish and be in the points,” he said.
“It’s my best finish in F1 and it’s been a good weekend. I’m obviously super happy, I didn’t have much experience with this track and was coming in blind.