Silverstone’s my favourite track despite huge crash… I won’t hesitate when I get out there, says F1 star Zhou Guanyu
CAN you guess the mystery sports star?
I’ll give you some clues:
- He went to school in Sheffield
- He likes Yorkshire puddings
- He’s pretty decent at snooker
- His nickname was Steve but he now prefers Joe
- He famously drove upside down
All right, you’re never going to guess, it’s Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu.
Zhou moved from Shanghai to Sheffield as a 12-year-old to pursue his F1 dream, racing for a junior karting team and spending three years as a pupil at Westbourne School.
It was clearly the right move because he went on to join Ferrari’s driver academy, scored five F2 wins including Silverstone and Monaco, and is now in his second full season in F1 with Alfa Romeo.
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So, obvious first question: United or Wednesday?
Zhou said: “Real Madrid. Because I was a big Ronaldo fan when I was younger.
“But my fitness coach is originally from Sheffield and he’s a United supporter. He keeps me updated.
“It’s impressive they’re back in the Premier League.”
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This is Zhou’s first time back in the Steel City for ten years and he said: “It’s a place full of memories.
“Everything feels exactly the same. Everybody is so laid back and chilled.
“I met some old school friends for dinner last night and it was so good to catch up with them.”
After a quick frame of snooker, Zhou drives me to his old school in Alfa’s brilliant Giulia Competizione.
It’s not his. It’s borrowed.
Zhou has the even more brilliant Giulia Quadrifoglio at home in London.
Now for a quick Q&A with pupils in the school hall.
It’s not long before Zhou’s first-corner horror smash at Silverstone crops up.
One lad asks: “Did the halo (cockpit protection device) save your life at Silverstone?”
Zhou replied: “Yes, definitely.
“While I was upside down, the halo was scratching along the ground, keeping my head just above the ground.”
The sickening crash saw Zhou’s car flip over after colliding with George Russell’s Merc, skid upside down for 100 metres, then catapult over the tyre barriers and end up wedged against the catch fence.
He tells me later: “I try not to look back to the crash.
“I skip the footage.
“But Silverstone is still my favourite track in the whole world.
“It’s so fast and flowing, you really have to trust the car.
“Maggots and Becketts are such cool corners.
“When I go back this year, I won’t hesitate.
“I’ll just go out there and go for the maximum like I do every weekend.”
Back to the school Q&A and another pupil asks: “Who do you like more, Senna or Schumacher?”
Zhou replies: “Fernando Alonso.
“I’ve been an Alonso fan ever since I was a kid and now I am racing against him.
“I don’t know how he is still racing at his best level but I think he is one of the greatest ever drivers.”
Q&A session over. Lots of autographs. And then it’s time to go.
As we head for the exit, one lad passes Zhou in a corridor and tells his mate: “That’s Zhou Guanyu.
“He tries to beat Max Verstappen.”
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Zhou replies: “Give me a Red Bull and I’ll do it.”
As tha got thi key mi duck?