Alfa Romeo back where it belongs: Newcomer Zhou Guanyu overwhelmed after F1 debut

Alfa Romeo F1 driver Zhou Guanyu admits feeling relieved and a little overwhelmed after making his debut at Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix. The 22-yer-old, who joined Alfa Romeo for the 2022 F1 season to team up with veteran driver Valtteri Bottas, became China's first full-time Formula One driver.

On Sunday, Zhou shocked many with a stunning debut drive at Bahrain to finish in 10th place, securing a point for his team, while Bottas finished sixth to earn eight points. In an interview with China Daily after the race, Zhou said it was a dream come true to have got his first F1 race under the belt with Alfa Romeo.

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First race, first #F1 point ??No wonder @ZhouGuanyu24 is emotional ??#BahrainGP pic.twitter.com/dSu8lVxiS4

"When you actually race your dream, you suddenly realise it's more than just a dream as there are so many difficulties in front of you," said the F1 rookie, who earned a precious point for placing 10th.

"I achieved my goals in my first race, and there are so many thoughts in my head. I'm overjoyed because of all the effort I put in to get here and all the help that people have given me.

"As I said before the start of the season, I want to prove myself on the racetrack, and I think I have proved myself in the best way possible. I feel I have released a lot of pressure."

After a difficult start on Sunday, Zhou managed to recover from a difficult start to overtake a number of his rivals to move up the field and finish 10th overall.

"The F1 weekend is very demanding as I'm on the biggest stage with a bigger spotlight. So I need to focus on every detail and avoid mistakes," said Zhou.

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