Alfa Romeo rookie Zhou Guanyu said that in his rookie season, there is no better teammate than the "open" Bottas.
After signing a contract with Alfa Romeo, Zhou Guanyu was promoted from F2 to China's first F1 racer in 2022.
He will play alongside Grand Prix champion Bottas, who switched to Hinwil after five years at Mercedes.
The two collaborated for the first time in last year's Abu Dhabi post-season tyre test.
Despite knowing that Bottas was excellent and had helped Mercedes win multiple constructors' titles, Zhou Guanyu believed it would be good for him to play against the Finns.
"For a rookie, there's no better option than having Bottas be your teammate in the first season," Mr. Zhou said in a recent social media interview.
"If I'm going to beat him, I know I need to work really hard and adapt quickly to the whole F1 and the new car from the start.
"But I think it's more important that he can help me through the learning process." He is a very open driver. He shared and discussed his information with the team and me, which was very helpful.
"After all, he's had a lot of podiums and wins in F1. Of all the drivers, only a few have been able to overtake Hamilton, and he is one of them.
"I think he's a good reference and a very strong team-mate. I hope to progress with him next year. ”
Zhou Guanyu, who won P3 in the F2 season with five victories last year, has been making headlines in the Chinese media since being confirmed to play in F1 last November.
Asked about his goals for his first F1 season, the 22-year-old made it clear he was determined to bring back points for the team.
"First of all, I set a small goal of getting points," Mr. Zhou said. "I don't know how competitive this car will be next season. We need to wait until the start of the season to get a clear picture of the situation.
"Personally, I would love to take points. But at the start of the season, I don't think about whether the first two games can be achieved; just don't put too much pressure on it.
"I want to enjoy F1, learn from my teammates and engineers and improve myself in all directions.
"When I make progress in all aspects, the results will come naturally."
Autosport original https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/zhou-open-bottas-best-team-mate-for-rookie-f1-year/7560189/