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Zhou Guanyu wanted to close the mouths of critics over his Formula 1 call-up, and felt his point on debut in Bahrain proved he belongs.

Zhou enjoyed a successful career in the junior formulas, which included being the first recipient of the Anthoine Hubert Award for best rookie back in 2019 in Formula 2.

After three seasons in F2, which included five race wins, Zhou received the call from Alfa Romeo to step up to Formula 1 for 2022, off the back of his best season in F2 which saw him finish P3 in the 2021 standings.

But despite his strong showings, Zhou, as the first Chinese racer on the F1 grid, carried the tag of being a pay driver in the minds of some, especially since Alfa Romeo admitted that he opened the door to some lucrative sponsorship opportunities.

Nonetheless, Zhou acknowledged those thoughts and wanted to silence them.

So, he went about it in the best way by making Q2 in his first Formula 1 qualifying session, before working his way up to P10 by the time the chequered flag flew in Bahrain, meaning he scored a point on debut.

“I think once I signed the contract last season, for some reason people had some different thoughts about me being in Formula 1,” he told reporters in Bahrain.

“But in my mind, I think I have done everything I need to do to