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Jonathan White

China’s Formula 1 hopeful Zhou Guanyu made hard work of a first win of the Formula 2 season in the opening feature race in Bahrain on Sunday. 
Zhou started in pole but was overtaken on the first corner by the driver he had beaten to pole by just three thousandths of a second in qualifying, Christian Lundgaard. 
Then on the same opening lap he was also overtaken by third on the grid, the Brazilian driver Felipe Drugovich. 
At one point the Shanghai-born Zhou was as low as sixth before changing to soft tyres and working his way back up the leader board.


GUANYU ZHOU WINS HIS FIRST FEATURE RACE! The pole sitter leaves Round One in the championship lead! 🏆#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F2 pic.twitter.com/FY7QZvuNSY
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 28, 2021

Zhou made it back up to second place after 23 of the 32 laps, just five laps from his sixth- placed nadir, overtaking F3 champion Oscar Piastri.
Then on lap 27 the UNI-Virtuosi driver claimed the lead on turn four of the Bahrain International Circuit. 
China’s F1 hope Zhou Guanyu takes first pole of F2 season in Bahrain
There was still drama behind him on the next lap when Piastri spun out and allowed Britain’s Dan Ticktum into second. 
Third place went to Hitech’s Liam Lawson who overtook Richard Verschoor on the final lap.
That is how they finished, though Ticktum faces an investigation for Piastri’s late crash, and Zhou ends the first race weekend of the season atop the driver’s championship. 


Our pole sitter, @gyzhou_33 👀Will he propel himself into the championship lead?#BahrainGP 🇧🇭 #F2 pic.twitter.com/SRP3Df4Ttq
— Formula 2 (@Formula2) March 28, 2021

Zhou had finished third in the second sprint race on Saturday – being overtaken by Australia’s Piastri and Lundgard on the final lap – and went in to Sunday’s feature race in joint third with 16 points in the driver’s championship. 
He was delighted with the win. 
“What a race!,” he said afterwards. “We kept our heads cool even though with the safety car people were able to jump ahead. I just took my chances to move forward! Just so happy!”
Zhou needs just four more Super Licence points from this F2 season to be eligible to race in Formula 1. 



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Formula One (F1)

China F1 hope Zhou Guanyu happy with comeback F2 win in Bahrain

Chinese UNI-Virtuosi Formula 2 driver Zhou Guanyu celebrates winning the first feature race of the 2021 season at rhe Bahrain International Circuit. Photo: Twitter/@Formula2

China’s F1 hope Zhou Guanyu takes first pole of F2 season in Bahrain

China’s Zhou Guanyu celebrates his first Formula Two victory at Sochi in September, 2020. Photo: Instagram/Zhou Guanyu

Chinese F1 hope Zhou Guanyu says first F2 win ‘should have come a long time ago’

China's Zhou Guanyu celebrates his first Formula Two victory at Sochi. Photo: Instagram/Zhou Guanyu

F2: China’s Zhou Guanyu makes history with Sochi sprint win

Zhou Guanyu, the first-ever Chinese driver to win a Formula Two race, pictured in 2016. Photo: Handout

Sport

Motorsport

UNI-Virtuosi driver started in pole but was as low as sixth before late surge to take season opening feature race victory 
Chinese driver leads championship as he looks to earn Super Licence needed to make the step up


UNI-Virtuosi driver started in pole but was as low as sixth before late surge to take season opening feature race victory.


Bahrain

China F1 hope Zhou Guanyu happy with comeback F2 win in Bahrain

UNI-Virtuosi driver started in pole but was as low as sixth before late surge to take season opening feature race victory Chinese driver leads championship as he looks to earn Super Licence needed to make the step up

UNI-Virtuosi driver started in pole but was as low as sixth before late surge to take season opening feature race victory

Chinese driver leads championship as he looks to earn Super Licence needed to make the step up