Twenty years of time has cultivated the popularity of F1 in China, and has also cultivated a Chinese F1 driver. In 2024, the F1 Chinese Grand Prix celebrates its 20th anniversary. The chubby boy who held the Renault flag in the stands has now become China's first official F1 driver – the 26-year-old Zhou Guanyu will make his home debut at the Shanghai International Circuit from April 19 to 21 when the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix kicks off at the Shanghai International Circuit. With 100 days to go until the start of the race, tickets for the event were snapped up after opening at 8 p.m. on January 9.
Familiar and unfamiliar tracks
Back in his hometown and back at the familiar Shanghai International Circuit, Zhou Guanyu has full of memories: "After so many years, I still remember the feeling of watching the F1 Grand Prix live for the first two times. I sat in the corner of the main stand near Turn 1, still a kid who didn't know anything. By watching the races, I developed an attachment and love for F1. I went home that year and studied a lot and then started supporting Alonso. That's why I was holding the Renault flag in the photo you saw (2005). This is where his dream began, Zhou said, "I came almost every year after that, and I didn't stop watching until I started racing in formula racing in the 2013 and 2014 seasons." ”
From a fan in the main stand to a racing driver, Zhou Guanyu is both familiar and unfamiliar with the track, and he says he has not raced here or tried a car. "At the moment I'm mainly preparing for the circuits in Bahrain and Barcelona, but I'm definitely going to spend more time on the tracks, which are relatively new to me after all. This is the first time Zhou Guanyu has played at home in F1 in the past two years, he said, "Although I have no experience on the track, I will accumulate some precautions by watching past races." For example, going to the track requires a lot of rhythm mastery from the drivers, because it is a new track with many combinations, especially when exiting corners, there are many shoulders, and it is very easy to make mistakes. ”
Returning to the home field, for Zhou Guanyu, is both pressure and motivation. "I know that the Chinese Grand Prix is definitely going to be the most stressful sub-event. "I hope I can take it with a normal heart and show my best performance this weekend." ”
The sprint race makes the China leg more exciting
The 2024 season features six sprint races, with the F1 China Grand Prix not only being the first to introduce a sprint race, but also the first of the year to host a sprint race. This means that outside of the regular free Xi, spectators will be able to enjoy intense duels every day for three days of the event. "For the fans, the race was probably more intense throughout the weekend. "But for me, this means that we have a much more rushed preparation time, and all the precautions and highlights of the schedule need to be done at the headquarters in Switzerland." ”
Zhou Guanyu admitted that his performance in the sprint race last year was mediocre, and he hopes to play at a better level under the new rules of the sprint race, "as long as you can quickly find your rhythm in the first practice, then there should be no big problems in the sprint race after that."
In the new season, Zhou Guanyu set himself a goal - to continue to break through in the total points and results of each station. "My best qualifying result in the last two years has been fifth, and the race may not have been as good as it could be: I had a number of retirements in the first season, and last season the car was not competitive for various reasons, so I wanted to have a more consistent third season and I could play a more important role in the Stake F1 team (formerly known as Alfa Romeo Racing). ”
The F1 Chinese Grand Prix has long cultivated a loyal following. In order to meet the needs of the audience to watch the race more diversely, in addition to the three-day ticket and single-day ticket, a series of special value-added ticketing products have also been launched - the "F1 China 20th Anniversary" commemorative package allows you to watch the exciting race from different grandstand perspectives for three consecutive days, not only has a series of special 20th anniversary merchandise, but also can participate in the official activities, and the "China Week" grandstand three-day ticket provides Zhou Guanyu's fans with an exclusive viewing gift package, helping everyone to create a warm home atmosphere in the main stand.
It is worth mentioning that in the past, the Shanghai International Circuit has set up exclusive stands for the "Four Heavenly Kings" such as Raikkonen, Alonso, Massa and Hamilton, and this time, Zhou Guanyu's fans also have the opportunity to interact with their idols up close. Zhou Guanyu revealed that the exclusive grandstand for fans is located in a very good position from the main stand, "If you can grab a ticket, you can see the start in the main stand, watch the P room environment and tire change." For me, it was also a chance to interact with my friends up close. ”
In addition to the Jiushi Sports APP, F1 fans from abroad can purchase tickets through the website https://ztmen.jussyun.com/#Hom or https://tickets.formula1.com/en/f1-3182-china.
With the official launch of ticket sales, the countdown to the Chinese Grand Prix has officially begun, and various preparations are being carried out in an orderly manner. Yang Yibin, Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman and General Manager of Shanghai Jiushi Sports Industry Development (Group) Co., Ltd., the organizer of the event, said: "In order to welcome the 20th anniversary of F1 China, we will strive for excellence to bring a better experience to the race officials, teams and drivers, partners, media friends and fans. We look forward to presenting you with a successful, exciting and unforgettable sports event, and at the same time, we will give full play to the influence of the event and demonstrate Shanghai's soft power on a global scale." ”