Zhou to stay with Alfa Romeo for 2023 F1® season
Wednesday, 28 September 2022
The Chinese driver has scored six points in his maiden campaign so far.
Zhou Guanyu has kept his Alfa Romeo seat for the 2023 Formula 1® season.
The 23-year-old made history when he became the first full-time Formula 1® driver from China this season and scored a point on his debut in Bahrain.
Zhou has gone on to pick up a further five points in his maiden campaign, and he will remain Valtteri Bottas' teammate next year.
"I am looking forward to continuing working with Zhou," Alfa Romeo boss Fred Vasseur said on Tuesday.
"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 One 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.
"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 expressed his gratitude for the faith Alfa Romeo have put in him.
He said: "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 One 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."
Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN and Zhou Guanyu: the journey continues! The Shanghai tiger keeps on roaring…#KeepMakingHistory #TeamZHOU pic.twitter.com/7rlOLnt4d9
— Alfa Romeo F1 Team ORLEN (@alfaromeoorlen) September 27, 2022
