Zhou looks at Alpine soap: 'Shows my choice was right'

Guanyu Zhou has been keeping a close eye on the soap opera surrounding Alpine's second seat. The Chinese driver himself now drives for Alfa Romeo, after years of driving in Alpine's junior team.

Zhou says in conversation with RACER.com that the situation around Alpine and Oscar Piastri indicates that he has made the right choice to leave Alpine. After Fernando Alonso announced his surprise departure to Aston Martin on Monday, Alpine responded by confirming that Piastri would drive for the team from 2023. Piastri himself came out with an announcement a few hours later saying he has not signed anything.

"I’ve been completely released," says Zhou. The Chinese driver says his contract with Alpine expired at the end of 2021, but he was then offered the chance with Alfa Romeo, which he eventually chose. Although Zhou is happy with his choice of Alfa Romeo, he adds that it was not an easy decision.

"I’m very happy that everything worked out well because if I had another year I’d be kind of stuck, the same now with Oscar. So it’s not the best thing for me. I feel like there was an opportunity here so I went for it, and I think it was a very good decision," Zhou continued.

Zhou joined Alfa Romeo as the only rookie of 2022, but in Valtteri Bottas he has an experienced teammate he can learn a lot from. Currently, Zhou is seventeenth in the standings with five points.