In the future, Zhou Guanyu hopes that this experience will continue to contribute to the development of motorsport in China.
According to the official data of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, the three-day race attracted "more than 200,000" people to watch.
Text: Tan Liwen
This past weekend, Chinese motorsport entered a new milestone.
On the afternoon of April 21, the 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix officially came to a successful conclusion. After two years of waiting, "third-year" Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu finally crossed the finish line at the Shanghai International Circuit, his home stadium in China and his hometown.
A Chinese driver competed in the Chinese Grand Prix at home turf, and Chinese fans waited too long for this moment, and Zhou Guanyu himself burst into tears after crossing the line, and his excitement was palpable. To commemorate this historic occasion, the FIA also gave Zhou Guanyu and the highest level of courtesy of the Chinese Grand Prix, who was parked on the grid with the top three and let him be cheered on by the Chinese fans at home.
Source: Zhou Guanyu social media
The tsunami-like cheering sound at the scene surprised Will Buxton, a well-known F1 journalist who is accustomed to seeing big scenes. "During the post-match interview, the crowd cheering for Zhou Guanyu almost made me untenable. I've never heard anything like this in a game. ”
It should be pointed out that this is the first time in the history of the FIA that a driver has been given such a high standard of treatment. This is another reflection of the importance that FIA and F1 drivers attach to the Chinese market. Zhou Guanyu's performance at home did not disappoint the expectations of Chinese fans, finishing 9th in the sprint race, starting from 16th in the main race and finishing 14th in the race.
The 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix is not only the first time in five years that the F1 Chinese Grand Prix will be held, but it will also mark the 20th anniversary of the Shanghai International Circuit. The enthusiasm that Chinese fans have accumulated for many years has finally exploded in the course of three days of racing.
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The Chinese Grand Prix returns after five years
More than 200,000 people watched the game over three days
From the 24th seat of the K Stand in 2004 to the finish of the race with the No. 24 driver's number printed on it, this is not only an inspirational story of Zhou Guanyu chasing his dream in motorsports, but also a dream moment that Chinese racers have been waiting for for many years.
How popular the F1 Chinese Grand Prix is, I believe there is no need to repeat it in the big sports business. From the server that was robbed and collapsed in the ticketing stage, to the three-day ticket scalper offering 6,000 yuan and the highest speculation to 3 times, a series of phenomena are enough to reflect the desire of Chinese fans for this event.
Judging from the author's observation, many fans from Guangdong have driven thousands of miles to the Shanghai International Circuit. Due to the strong convective weather in the past few days, a large number of flights at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport and Shenzhen Bao'an Airport have been cancelled or delayed due to weather conditions.
Many of them are planning to travel from Guangzhou or Shenzhen to Shanghai to watch the weekend of Formula 1. When the weather was not as expected, many fans drove directly for more than ten hours and finally arrived in Shanghai to watch the race. The fans' love and desire for Formula 1 is evident.
According to the official data of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, the three-day race attracted "more than 200,000" people to watch. In addition to this shocking figure, I believe readers have also seen many videos of sports and entertainment stars appearing on the track on social media, such as the "lucky guy" Lin Junjie, Gu Ailing, Yao Ming, Lin Zhiying, He Youjun and his wife, Lei Jun and Li Shufu, who presented awards to the sprint winners.
Source: Gu Ailing, Lin Zhiying, Lin Junjie, Lei Jun and Martin Racing Team social media
Speeding in front of so many fans, and it was his first home race, was not easy for Zhou Guanyu. In particular, going to the field is a track that is both familiar and unfamiliar to him, familiar because he has been here many times, and strange because he has never driven a F1 car here.
Especially considering that the season has not been off to a good start for himself and the team – apart from a P11 finish at the opening Bahrain Grand Prix, Sauber has struggled in the last three races. In the last Japanese Grand Prix, Zhou's car also retired due to gearbox problems.
In a roundtable interview organized by Sauber Racing before the race, Zhou Guanyu told the sports business that he had waited for three years to finally wait for the arrival of the Chinese Grand Prix, but compared with his "F1 debut" before the start of the 2022 season in Bahrain, the pressure was not too great.
"Of course, when I look back on the weekend after the race, it will be a fantastic and fantastic feeling. Zhou Guanyu said. Whether it was the final performance or the enthusiasm shown by the fans, this event will become a wonderful memory of Zhou's career.
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The Chinese driver made his debut on his home turf in China
A motorsport milestone moment
When a Chinese driver drives an F1 car through a full F1 weekend of qualifying and racing, Zhou Guanyu is here to make new history of Chinese motorsport. There is no doubt that the 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix is a milestone moment in the history of Chinese motorsport.
Formula 1 is the pyramid of motorsport, with only 20 driver seats a year, and the effort and money behind it is difficult to measure in numbers. From 2004 to 2024, Zhou Guanyu has grown from an F1 spectator to an F1 driver, and his story and the 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix will also attract more people to motorscar.
During the three-day competition, I believe that everyone saw a full live audience through social media and live broadcast cameras, especially many parents who brought their children to watch the game. In the future, perhaps new Chinese F1 drivers will be born from here.
This small step taken by Zhou Guanyu at the Shanghai International Circuit is undoubtedly a big step for Chinese motorsport. As a veteran, Zhou Guanyu is well aware of the hardships behind becoming an F1 driver, as well as the development of motorsport in China.
"In an unfamiliar environment, I didn't have a guide, and I went from a hobby to a professional driver on my own and as a team. Especially when you come to Europe, you find that the drivers here are much better than you think, and the competition in motorsport abroad is very fierce. In the interview, Zhou Guanyu recalled the path he had traveled to grow as an F1 driver.
In the future, he also hopes that this experience can continue to contribute to the development of motorsport in China. "I hope to achieve my dream and at the same time continue to promote Chinese racing, and I will continue to do so in the future. "I'm also very happy to see a lot of my peers and even my own younger generation, young drivers who are exposed to racing because of me. Hopefully, in 10 years' time, there will be more Chinese drivers in F1. ”
As for Zhou Guanyu's development of motorsport in China, Stefano Domenicali, the current CEO of F1, is also eye-catching. "For Chinese fans, especially the younger generation, Zhou Guanyu is a huge inspiration. Not just to be a driver, but also to be an engineer, mechanic or other profession that is needed in F1. I think Zhou Guanyu will be the promoter. Domenikali said in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.
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The F1 Chinese Grand Prix has become Shanghai's business card
Looking forward to more Chinese stations in the future
F1 has been in China for 20 years, especially in Shanghai. In the course of 20 years of development, the F1 Chinese Grand Prix has become the city card of Shanghai.
Before the start of the F1 Chinese Grand Prix, Zhou Guanyu showed off his specially designed helmet full of Shanghai elements for this race. As can be seen from the pictures shared by Zhou Guanyu on social media, Shanghai landmarks such as the Shanghai Metro Line, Yu Garden, Waibaidu Bridge and Lujiazui "four-piece suit" all appear on the helmet. Through the lens of F1 broadcasting, Shanghai and Chinese culture are once again recognized by hundreds of millions of viewers.
Source: Zhou Guanyu social media
In the 20 years since F1 entered the Chinese market, it has not only promoted the rapid development of motorsport in China, but also witnessed the transformation of the city of Shanghai. A puzzle that combines the views of the main stand at Turn 1 of the Shanghai International Circuit in 2008, 2014 and 2024 has aroused discussion among netizens at home and abroad in the past few days.
As you can see from the image below, from "nothing" in 2008 to "high-rise buildings" in 2024, Shanghai's skyline has changed dramatically. Of course, you can also see the changes in the main sponsors from this picture, from Sinopec, UBS to Lenovo.
The city of Shanghai also made a big impression on Sauber Racing representative Alessandro Aruni Bravi. In an exclusive conversation with the big sports business, Bravi said that he loves Shanghai very much and has been to the city many times.
"When you've been to Shanghai many times, you'll notice how the city has grown and transformed, and I think that's what I love about Shanghai. The fusion of traditional Chinese culture can be seen here, but at the same time Shanghai is developing very rapidly in terms of infrastructure and technology. So I think Shanghai is also a reflection of the characteristics of Formula 1 – the fusion of people and technology. Bravi said.
After Freelance Media Group's acquisition of F1, its brand awareness and audience penetration reached a new level. Many countries and cities are actively bidding to host F1 events. In the United States, for example, the 2024 season will host three Grand Prix races, which also reflects the popularity of F1 events.
Coincidentally, the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission released its 2024 provincial key project plan this month. According to the document, Guangzhou plans to build an FIA FIA certified Class 1 track and supporting facilities, and build an international comprehensive racing sports park around the track, with an estimated total investment of 20 billion yuan.
This also means that Guangzhou also has the opportunity to join the ranks of F1 host cities in the future. When the sports big business introduced the news to Bravi, he was eager to see more events in China in the future. Based on the huge size of the Chinese audience and the automotive consumer market, Bravi is confident in the future of F1 in China.
"Personally, I am very happy to see more stations held in China. At the same time, it should be noted that the situation is different for each substation. As a simple example, such as the design of the track, the event organizers in Guangzhou need to make different changes than in Shanghai. "In addition, in terms of added value of the event, Guangzhou also needs to show its own difference from Shanghai. This can also be compared to the three Grand Prix in the United States, where the experience is different in Miami, Austin and Las Vegas. ”
In 2021, F1 announced a contract extension with the F1 Chinese Grand Prix for 3 years until 2025. According to a report by Xinhua News Agency on April 21, F1 is seeking to renew its contract with the Chinese Grand Prix and expects to expand the influence of F1 in China. However, it should be noted that Incheon, South Korea, is also seeking to bid to host the 2026 F1 race.
According to British media outlet Independent, Incheon Mayor Yoo Jung-bok met with Domenikali during the Japanese Grand Prix and submitted an official bid for the event. The Korea International Circuit in South Jeollanam-do Province hosted the 2010-2013 F1 event, but was cancelled due to heavy losses.
At the beginning of April, F1 officially unveiled its 2025 calendar, which will feature 24 stops. According to F1's Concorde Agreement, 25 Grand Prix races a year will be capped. This also means that when Incheon joins the bid, the host city of the Asian branch may be reduced. Domenigali has previously said publicly that F1 officials are now receiving more and more requests from new places to host races, and that some existing races, including historic circuits, may be kicked out of the F1 calendar due to the addition of new circuits.
In other words, the Chinese Grand Prix organizers may face "challenges" from other Asian cities in terms of contract renewal. But what is certain is that the hot scene of the 2024 F1 Chinese Grand Prix has given F1 officials a very strong signal that the Chinese market still has strong development potential.
Note: Unless otherwise noted, the pictures used in this article are from OSports All Sports