Formula 1: China’s Zhou Guanyu puts in solid testing display, keen to temper expectations ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix
- Alfa Romeo driver finishes 11th in classification list after final testing on Saturday in the Middle East
- Zhou found ‘a decent amount of speed on the track’ but says it will take several races for his full potential to become apparent
China’s first full-time Formula 1 driver Zhou Guanyu is keen to temper expectations ahead of his debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix next weekend, despite a promising performance in final preseason testing.
The 22-year-old completed 82 laps in his Alfa Romeo on Saturday, posting a fastest time of 1:33.959 that placed him 11th on the classification list.
While that was some way short of world champion Max Verstappen’s 1:31.720 for Red Bull Racing, it was still a solid performance from the rookie, who found “a decent amount of speed” out on the track.
“It was a very important day for us as a team and for me as a driver, there was a lot of useful information to take in,” Zhou said.
“I feel like I’m quite mature as a driver, so I won’t do anything risky. I know that in Formula 1 every move is a risk but you have to know that I can do this and I will do it.
“I don’t want to do anything stupid. I want to think about the long term, and I want to learn and improve.”
Testing is not necessarily an indication of how a team will do during the season - event Mercedes have struggled in Bahrain, with Lewis Hamilton finishing 17th in 1:36.217.