Sauber driver Guanyu Zhou said he is ready to “write history” at the upcoming Chinese Grand Prix.
Zhou will be the first Chinese driver to race an F1 Grand Prix around the Shanghai International Circuit, as the event was canceled since 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Zhou and teammate Valtteri Bottas are yet to score points this season, and the Chinese national hopes to change his luck next weekend, which will host the first Sprint race of 2024.
“I couldn’t be more excited to finally race on home soil in Shanghai,” Zhou said.
“To be the first Chinese driver ever to compete in Formula 1 in China means a lot to me – it fills me with immense joy, pride and responsibility.
“It isn’t just a race for me. After four years off the calendar, the championship finally returns, and with a Chinese driver on the grid, we will write history.”
Zhou added that his appearance at the Grand Prix is “an opportunity to inspire and pave a path for future generations being interested in the sport.”
“We saw the passion that awaits us when the tickets went on sale, and were fully sold out within hours – my country loves racing and has been waiting for this moment for years.”
Despite his debut in home soil, the Sauber driver said his focus “remains on performance; once I get to the track, I will treat this as any other weekend, and work hard to extract the most out of the car.”
“I can’t wait to give it my all, share the passion with our entire team trackside and at home, and start a new chapter of Chinese motorsport together with the crowd.”