At 11 o'clock Beijing time last night, it was a milestone for Chinese racing cars - Zhou Guanyu drove an Alfa Romeo car, starting from the 15th place at the Sakhir Circuit in Bahrain, becoming the first Chinese driver to participate in the F1 main race; about 7 minutes later, he passed McLaren's Ricardo before entering the corner, which was the first time chinese drivers overtook in F1; at 0:42 Beijing time this morning, the red and white C42 car crossed the 10th finish line, zhou Guanyu successfully completed his F1 debut, And got the first point of his career, and the first point of a Chinese driver in the F1 world...
Picture: Zhou Guanyu completed his F1 debut and scored 1 point network map
Last night and this morning, Zhou Guanyu created many firsts, and brought many surprises to F1 fans around the world, and even the TV broadcast rarely gave close-up shots for several consecutive minutes. Behind the writing of history, it is indispensable to Zhou Guanyu's many unknown efforts and efforts during the winter preparation period and after coming to Bahrain with the team.
Come prepared
This year's Spring Festival, Zhou Guanyu is following the Alfa Romeo team for pre-season preparations. In an interview through the platform of the agency Jiushi Sports, the Shanghai guy once half-jokingly said that during that time, he saw the most, one was a human trainer, the second was a team engineer, and the third was the simulator dedicated to the driver.
Pictured: Zhou Guanyu in the game network map
"Compared to the previous racing competitions, F1 has higher requirements for the physical function of the driver, so the first hurdle to be overcome during the preparation period is physical fitness." On Zhou Guanyu's personal social platform, there are still training videos from pre-season preparations, push-ups, barbells, bench presses... "The most worrying thing is that his neck is not thick enough." Talking about the training he is most concerned about, Zhou Guanyu replied without hesitation, "Because the neck of the car needs to withstand huge gravity when it is cornering, the relevant strength training will basically continue throughout the season." ”
In addition to physical fitness, familiarity with racing and track is also a lesson that Zhou Guanyu must complete. This winter, he became one of the drivers with the longest test mileage, and the team workshop can always see him holding various data sheets to communicate with technicians. Officially entering the final preparation period before the opening battle, he walked the track with his teammate Bottas, and when he passed every corner, he would draw the line by hand, although When he participated in F2, Saquil was one of his most familiar and favorite tracks, but for the "rookie" in the paddock, full preparation is obviously the basis for achieving results.
Pictured: Zhou Guanyu prepares for the season
First suppress and then rise
The preparation was relatively comprehensive, and it paid off from friday's free practice. While many drivers are still looking for the rhythm of the new season, Zhou Guanyu has basically adapted to the intensity of the race, and the "tacit understanding" with the car is also better than the "temporary play" drivers such as Magnussen, Hockenberg and Alben. The 9th in the third practice and the 15th qualifying gave him more confidence.
Picture: Zhou Guanyu's efforts reaped rewards network map
However, the process after the start of the main game was somewhat unexpected by Zhou Guanyu. Due to inexperience and minor lapses in rhythm control, he fell to the end of the formation at one point after the first turn. Fortunately, he did not panic, and after stabilizing his mentality, he used his advantages in driving technology and racing performance to surpass 6 competitors in a row and become the most active driver on the field. When the race entered the second half, the team's suitable tactical arrangement made him closer and closer to the monsoon zone after the pit stop, coupled with the favor of the goddess of luck, after Gasley, Verstappen and Perez withdrew from the competition, Zhou Guanyu's ranking entered the top 10, drawing a surprise ending for this first-and-last-risen racing drama.
Pictured: Zhou Guanyu (left) in the game network diagram
'There is no doubt that Zhou Guanyu was one of the winners of this race, he brought back points for the team and showed a lot of potential." After the race, F1 officials sent praise to the Chinese drivers who participated for the first time, and Zhou Guanyu, who parked the car in the corresponding area and removed the helmet full of Shanghai elements, could not help but cry with joy.
Pictured: Zhou Guanyu cried with joy after the game
Calm your mind
Before the start of the season, Zhou Guanyu said the most in the interview was learning and adapting, such a clear positioning and a good mentality, allowing him to sit in the cockpit without baggage, coupled with his familiarity with the Sakhir track and a part of the luck to help, so that he had a near-perfect start. However, after getting the points, Zhou Guanyu may become the target of many midstream team drivers, which means that he may face more fierce confrontation in the race track. For this weekend's Saudi circuit, Zhou Guanyu did not have any race experience and data before, and its own requirements for the rhythm and control of the drivers are more than one gear higher than bahrain, so for Zhou Guanyu, how to control the mentality after a short celebration, maintain the humility and caution of the newcomer drivers, and avoid carrying too heavy psychological baggage is perhaps the most important task in these days.
Picture: How to adjust the mentality is the next problem that Zhou Guanyu will face in the network map
It is said that a good start is half the success, Zhou Guanyu has proved his strength in Bahrain, and although the next road is still full of thorns, for the young him, everything he experiences after this season will become a valuable asset on the road to growth, and the future of "China Week" is more worth looking forward to. (Xinmin Evening News reporter Lu Weixin)