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SCMP Sport

Reuters

Rookie Zhou Guanyu, who will become the first Chinese driver to race in Formula One on Sunday, will line up 15th on the grid after making it to the second phase of qualifying on his debut in Bahrain.
The 22-year-old Alfa Romeo driver admitted he was “delighted” with his efforts on Saturday at the Bahrain International Circuit, where Charles Leclerc gave Ferrari its first pole position in over two years.
“My first target was to try to get to Q2,” Zhou told reporters after qualifying. “To do that in my debut, I’m very happy with that.
“Of course, when I was in Q1 was like, ‘I only have one lap and I’m just gonna give everything’. It looks good for the race. It was quite promising. Overall, I’m just so delighted with my first Q2, I didn’t expect it to come in my first race.”




















View this post on Instagram























A post shared by 周冠宇 | Zhou Guanyu 🇨🇳 (@zhouguanyu24)



Leclerc produced a lap of one minute and 30.558 seconds to beat world champion Max Verstappen by 0.123 seconds.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz missed out on handing Ferrari their first front-row lockout since the 2019 Mexican Grand Prix by 0.006 seconds and had to settle for third. That was also the last time a Ferrari started a race from the front.
“We have a good chance to be fighting maybe for the points, you never know,” Zhou added. “I think for the race, the first thing is to try to finish, and avoid any issues.
F1: Zhou Guanyu finds inspiration from ‘friend’ Fernando Alonso
“It gives me a bit more confidence that I’m in Q2. The plan was to try to get into Q2 and see how the race pans out.
“In my first race, I don’t think I will set any goals. I will just try to get my head down and move forward. For testing, we’re looking stronger in distant pace, so you never know.
“I’m feeling good about tomorrow. I think in the race maybe I can do a good job. I want to wait and see.”

Mercedes’ predictions of a difficult start to their quest for a record ninth straight constructors’ title, dismissed as gamesmanship by rivals, came true.
Lewis Hamilton was more than half a second off Leclerc’s pace in fifth while George Russell, in his first race as a full-time Mercedes driver, was a disappointing ninth.
But in China, all eyes will be on Zhou, who will make history on Sunday.
“I think everybody was live-streaming today,” he said. “Having great support from at home in my country is always a nice feeling.

A little bit of history...

Ride onboard with Zhou Guanyu as he became the first-ever Chinese driver to compete in an F1 world championship 🇨🇳#BahrainGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/o0II5FuTWW
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 19, 2022

“I feel good to be proud of the job I’ve done. The people back home will be proud of that achievement. It gives me a big confidence boost through the year that I can only be better from there.
“It was a lot of attention, a lot of pressure before that. I didn’t expect to be that nervous but I managed to pull everything almost together in Q1.
“In Q2 I wanted to explode a little bit more. It didn’t really go exactly to plan, a bit too much over the limit and it was quite a messy lap. But nevertheless, starting P15 for tomorrow is a good spot for the race.”


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Formula One (F1)

Formula One: Zhou Guanyu dreaming of debut points finish at Bahrain Grand Prix after first Q2

Alfa Romeo’s Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu drives during the third practice session ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in the city of Sakhir on March 19, 2022. Photo: Mazen Mahdi/AFP

Zhou Guanyuin action during the third practice session for the Bahrain Grand Prix. Photo: EPA-EFE

Formula One: Zhou Guanyu finds inspiration from ‘friend’ Fernando Alonso – ‘he’s the guy I looked up to most’

Alfa Romeo’s Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu speaks during the presser ahead of the Bahrain Formula One Grand Prix in the city of Sakhir on March 18, 2022. Photo: Ozan Kose/ AFP

Alpine’s Fernando Alonso before practice at the Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed

Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou in action during testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Reuters/Hamad I Mohammed

F1: Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu has what it takes to succeed, says China veteran Ma Qinghua

Alfa Romeo driver Zhou Guanyu during F1 preseason testing in Bahrain. Photo: Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN/Formula 1

Caterham Formula One reserve driver Ma Qinghua gets ready for the first practice session at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai in 2013. Photo: AP

Zhou Guanyu will make his F1 debut in Bahrain this weekend. Photo: Getty Images

How Formula 1 driver Zhou Guanyu is helping accelerate the rise of Chinese motorsport

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu looks on during F1 pre-season testing in Barcelona. Photo: Handout

Ayrton Senna celebrates winning the 1983 Formula 3 Macau Grand Prix. Senna was followed home by Roberto Guerrero and Gerhard Berger. Photo: SCMP

The Zhuhai International Circuit in Guangdong. Photo: Bruce Yan

Formula 1: China’s Zhou Guanyu puts in solid testing display, keen to temper expectations ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix

Alfa Romeo’s Zhou Guanyu  in action during testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Reuters

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen during the third day of Formula One pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: AFP

Zhou Guanyu in his Alfa Romeo Racing car during testing in Bahrain. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Motorsport


Rookie Zhou, who will become the first Chinese driver to race in F1 on Sunday, will line up 15th on the grid in Bahrain
‘I’m just so delighted, I didn’t expect this in my first race,’ says 22-year-old after making it to second phase of qualifying on debut



First Chinese driver to race in Formula One will line up 15th on the grid after making it to the second phase of qualifying on his debut in Bahrain.
