F1: Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu has what it takes to succeed, says China veteran Ma Qinghua
- Ma was the first Chinese driver to join Formula One and says the experience was ‘like nothing else on earth’
- ‘I am sure that is something [Zhou] knows well. I’ll be following him closely, just like everyone in China,’ says Ma
Ma, who is based in Shanghai and will be watching Zhou’s every move during the season, said driving at the highest level was “like nothing else on earth”.
“I having been using the experience I had in Formula One every day for the rest of my career, and one thing it taught me was that the learning never stops,” he said. “In motorsports you have to keep adapting to the different situations you find yourself in every day and I am sure that is something [Zhou] knows well.”
The connection between the pair goes right back to when the eight-year-old Zhou first climbed inside a go-kart – at a track in Shanghai was owned and operated at the time by Ma’s father.
“I remember when he first came into my father’s centre and we have been close to each other ever since,” Ma said. “I can remember early on teaching him how to break and things like that, and ever since we have been sharing our experiences and following each other’s careers.
“He showed he had talent even right at the beginning. I think it is great for him as he has the talent and it is great for motorsports in China that he has made it to Formula One and that motorsports in China will continue to grow after this.”
While Zhou moved to the United Kingdom when he was 12, Ma charted a history-making course of his own in the sport, graduating through touring cars and up the Formula car ranks in both Asia and Europe, before joining the Spanish HRT F1 set up in 2012.
There were test drives and appearances in F1 practice sessions – both firsts for a Chinese driver – but the collapse of HRT at the end of that year saw Ma move to the Malaysia-backed Caterham team.
Despite an appearance during free practice at the 2013 China Grand Prix in Shanghai – another first for a local driver – his contract was not extended and Ma’s F1 adventure came to an end.
In the years since, Ma has featured in the World Touring Car Championship – winning two legs – and across Formula E before heading back into touring cars, winning a title in China last year, and then signing-on last month for Lynk & Co Cyan Racing for the upcoming 2022 FIA World Touring Car Cup.
The doubts, stress and car troubles that paved Zhou Guanyu’s rocky road to F1
The 34-year-old says Zhou will by now be fully aware of the vast difference between racing in F1 and in any other car, having been through rigorous off-season workouts with Alfa Romeo last month.
“When it comes to Formula One first of all you have to drive fast and that’s really not easy,” Ma said. “But there are all these other things going on apart from the driving skills. You have to learn a lot of things mechanically, with engineering, then there’s the teamwork and communicating with people with many different nationalities.
“You have to find ways to work together – and that’s all even before you get behind the wheel. When you do get behind the wheel, the power of that machine is like nothing else. Nothing compares to it and to feel it is something that I will never forget.”
Attention will now turn to the lead-up to the Bahrain event, and to what Zhou is able to do on the track. Ma believes his friend has the skills and attitude necessary to hold his own among the world’s best.
“It’s all ahead of him now,” Ma said. “I’ll be following him closely, just like everyone in China.”
