Zhou Guanyu doubts Formula 1 will see many more Chinese drivers joining the series over the coming years despite his participation in the sport.
The Sauber driver will make history this weekend when he becomes the first Chinese driver to race in his home grand prix.
Zhou is one of only two drivers from China, along with Ma Qinghua, to have ever participated in the world championship. Ma drove in Friday practice for Caterham at the 2013 round in Shanghai.
Now in his third season of F1, Zhou will finally get to race in his home grand prix this weekend. However he says that there are more obstacles for young Chinese drivers to overcome if they aspire to race in F1 compared to if they want to compete as athletes in other major sports.
“The biggest difference in motorsports or Formula 1 is that you don’t get too much of the country’s support behind [you],” Zhou said in today’s FIA press conference.
“Of course, to be an F1 driver, you need some financial support – that’s clear. But I don’t think in China we have enough families or people that have the budget and also… the interest that they can get involved in Formula 1.
“It takes a lot. It’s easy to be a racing driver as a hobby, but to take this professional journey, only 20 of us drivers here, it’s not an easy one. The amount of sacrifice and also the hard work behind the scenes for every individual driver to be there, it’s very complex. Also, it takes a lot of time.”
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Chinese society is still developing a motorsport culture, Zhou says.
“I think mainly the history, the culture with motorsport only started 20 years ago,” he explained. “If you consider, let’s say, Europe – how much passion they have for Formula 1.
“Probably this grand prix will be a record in terms of the tickets. It was sold out in like 20 or 30 minutes. It used to be that you could still always find a few seats two to three weeks before the race, so it’s never been like this before.
“But you really see the country is growing, but also it’s having some high inputs, having more companies, manufacturers starting being involved with different Formula 1 teams.”
Due to the fact that China’s motorsport culture is still developing, Zhou says he does not expect his arrival in Formula 1 to prompt an influx of more Chinese drivers onto the grid any time soon. There are no Chinese drivers in F2 or F3 this…
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