Antonio Giovinazzi will leave Alfa Romeo at the end of the season, to be replaced by Guanyu Zhou. The 22-year-old will become China’s first ever full-time F1 driver.
Antonio Giovinazzi’s Exit
The Italian will be joining Formula E as a driver for Dragon Penske. He claimed on his own Twitter that he will not give up, and Formula One has not seen the last of him. Zhou had been tipped for a while to replace Giovinazzi and become Valtteri Bottas’ teammate, so the news isn’t a shock. Even more so if the rumours are true. Many reports claim that Zhou will bring 30 million euros in sponsorship, effectively paying his way into the sport.
Giovinazzi mentioned money in his tweet, is that a subtle dig at the Chinese driver and Alfa Romeo? He said that F1 ‘knows how to be ruthless, when money dictates the rules.’
It wouldn’t be a surprise if that is the case, with money being vital in such a rich sport. It’s a shame if that is the reason though, especially given Giovinazzi’s improvements this season.
Alfa Romeo’s Reaction
Excited to welcome @gyzhou_33 to our team for 2022! A new chapter in our history is opening! #AlfaRomeoRacing #ORLEN #TeamZhou pic.twitter.com/0A2U5XkWEn
— Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber (@stakef1team_ks) November 16, 2021
Guanyu Zhou’s Credentials
He is second place in the F2 standings as things stand. Zhou has been linked with the move to F1 heavily in recent months. He came second in an Italian F4 championship. Since then in Euro F3 and F2 he has accumulated a fair few wins.
In 61 F2 race starts, the Chinese driver has four wins and 18 podiums to his name. Along the way, Zhou has picked up three pole positions.
He will join Valtteri Bottas at the team after the Finn’s Mercedes exit where he will be replaced by George Russell.
Does Guanyu Zhou deserve the seat, or is it a financial decision? Was Antonio Giovinazzi’s exit the right call?
Main Image Credit: Embed from Getty Images
