Zhou is not going to be chosen purely because of a bag of money

It is still not certain which driver will be awarded the second seat at Alfa Romeo Racing alongside Valtteri Bottas for 2022. Guanyu Zhou is a strong contender, but Frederic Vasseur refutes that the Chinese driver is only an option because he would bring tens of millions in sponsorship money with him.

Reportedly, the recruitment of Zhou would bring about thirty million dollars for Alfa Romeo. Moreover, the arrival of the 22-year-old driver would ensure that Formula 1 and Alfa Romeo would gain popularity among the Chinese population.

Zhou because of performance

Zhou is currently second in the Formula 2. For that reason it is logical that the name of Zhou is mentioned, but that Alfa Romeo is only interested in the money is 'pure speculation' and 'nonsense'. The team boss of the Italian formation says this in conversation with Motorsport-Total.com.

"Of course you have to take into account the budget. It is complete nonsense if you say that you do not consider this aspect or nationality or other aspects, but the most important thing for me is the performance of the team," Vasseur further told the German medium.

De Vries still an option?

It is unclear what Nyck de Vries' chances are of becoming a permanent driver at Alfa Romeo. Over a month ago the Dutchman's name was mentioned frequently, but in recent weeks it has been remarkably quiet.