Formula 1 and Zhou Guanyu – Race for all races

Formula 1 racing’s recent meteoric rise echoes the heartbeat of a world captivated by speed, adrenaline, and unparalleled spectacle. 

Between 2019 to the present, Formula 1 has experienced a 36% increase in in-person attendance, and a 28% increase in television viewership.

Formula 1’s international exhibition has defied the COVID-era hindrances. It further transcended the revving engines and checkered flags to becoming a cultural and sporting phenomenon like no other.

With this, Formula 1 bears a new and unique obstacle: overcoming its own history of homogeneity. 

The world of Formula 1 racing has long been dominated by a select group of elite drivers — currently standing at twenty to be exact — predominantly hailing from Western countries.

However, in more recent years we’ve seen improvement.

There is an uptick in team members from more diverse backgrounds rising to challenge the status quo.

One such trailblazer is Zhou Guanyu, the first and only Chinese driver on the circuit.

Since joining Team Alfa Romeo in 2022, Zhou Guanyu has redefined what it means to be a Formula 1 driver. His emergence broke through as a catalyst for a more inclusive and encompassing future in racing.

If Formula 1 is to continue their unprecedented growth, it needs to build on stories like Zhou Guanyu’s. Formula 1 also needs to further invest in programs and grassroots initiatives to inspire the next generation of athletes and further broaden their global influence.

Meet Zhou Guanyu

Born in Shanghai, China, Zhou Guanyu’s journey to Formula 1 is a testament to both personal triumph in the face of exclusion, and subsequently how providing opportunity to historically underrepresented populations can be beneficial to an operating party.

From a young age, Zhou Guanyu had a fascination with racing. After years of ascending the ranks, he eventually got his big break in 2019.

He was recruited to become a member of Renault Sport Academy — an Alpine subsidized program with the intent of supporting and developing the next generation of drivers.

It would not take long for him to make his mark on the Formula 2 race tracks. He eventually received a full-time promotion to Formula 1, where he is now in the midst of his second year. 

While Zhou’s accomplishments are undoubtedly significant, his story is representative of a bigger picture.

Due to Formula 1’s incredible popularity it has newfound socioeconomic incentives. Formula 1 has responsibilities in determining the future of their own sport. 

Renault Sport Academy is impressive by all means. With its state-of-the-art tracks and virtual training machines, attending this prestigious program — or any of the subsidized academies for that matter — is a dream for any up-and-coming driver.

This dream however never becomes a reality for most. 

Formula 1 needs to provide opportunities.

Formula 1’s opportunity for all races

Firstly, there are the obvious physical limitations.

Formula 1’s academies being situated throughout Western Europe prevents participation for many overseas prospects.

The alternatives across Asia are few and far between.

There are only three officially recognized driving academies in Asia. They are Toyota’s TGR-DC Racing School, Honda’s Formula Dream Project, and KC Motorgroup’s Driver Development Project. None of which are afforded any official Formula 1 funding.

The clear disparity between European access to driving academies versus Asian access only grows when examining the economic and cultural implications.

When taking into account GDP per capita across the two continents, Europeans nearly triple their Asian counterparts. Europeans thus are more apt to an ambitious economic lifestyle and can financially support endeavors such as professional driving if they so please.

Anecdotally, from this cultural standpoint, it’s also not as common for Asian families to value professional sports as a feasible career option due to the astoundingly low percentage of people who actually make it.

Now relatively speaking, Formula 1 has done a better job in recent years building diverse talent. 23% of their Formula 2 roster are person of color. Teams like Red Bull and Mercedes are finally recruiting drivers from countries such as China, Thailand, India, and Malaysia.

The next sensible step though is creating these academies in new hotbed locations outside of Western Europe.

Although Western Europe is home to most supercar companies, car manufacturers like the aforementioned Honda and Toyota are poised to collaborate with Formula 1 teams in the near future and have more than enough market share to support driving academies across Asia.

To further bolster Asia’s ability to nurture Formula 1’s growth, Zhou’s home country of China is currently their biggest market in terms of television viewership.

Admittedly, population density should be taken into account. Nonetheless, previous races’ economic output in the country proves that future investment could be worthwhile.

From a community centric perspective, presenting these younger generations with a feasible athletic future works to stoke sport awareness and thus create grassroots interest.

Read more: https://coldteacollective.com/southeast-asia-soccer-scene/

Race from 0 to 100

Despite the long odds, Zhou’s parents put the utmost faith in their son.

Why? Because of a nearly palpable passion. At the age of 6, Zhou Guanyu attended his first Formula 1 race in Shanghai to support his hero and Formula 1 legend, Fernando Alonso.

By the age of 8 he began go-karting for fun. By 12, he and his family relocated to the U.K. to pursue his dream of professional racing. 

Until being selected by Renault Sport Academy, Zhou found himself honing his skills on the lower-staked and safer karting tracks.

Karting is the much safer and more accessible introduction into the high-octane world of Formula racing. While this accessibility does help serve as a pipeline for those looking to turn a hobby into a profession, like many other facets of Formula 1 it only exists in areas of traditional privilege where people are willing to invest in futures in driving.

In the case of Zhou, his father had to build a track for him to train on in China as other karting alternatives simply did not exist.

If potential racers are not given the same resources, achieving widespread grassroots interest is simply impossible.

Formula 1 currently has an opportunity to capitalize on the frenzy surrounding them. But, Formula 1 needs to provide more opportunities outside of Western Europe.

In budding hotspots like China and across much of Asia — professional karting tracks are few and far between. The current White-dominated makeup of the sport will continue on until there is more opportunity for others to break through. 

Formula 1 race for all races

From uprooting his home to live in a foreign country, to ascending the ranks of a sport where practically nothing was built to work in his favor, what Zhou Guanyu has been able to achieve is nothing short of inspirational. While we celebrate his achievement, we must also look ahead with optimism that we will see more stories like Zhou’s.

Formula 1 has built out a formal DEI division. It has even made public statements pledging to a more diverse and equitable future.

If it can stick to these promises that it’s making, and adopt strategies that further prioritize outreach and equal opportunity, Formula 1 can transcend its historical homogeneity and become a beacon of diversity in the world of sports.

Considering its global coverage, it only makes sense for Formula 1 to empower people of all race(r)s.