Tag Archives: Alfa Romeo

China’s F1 Rookie Punching Above His Weight

I got a message out of the blue this week from Patrick McEnroe – the former US Davis Cup captain turned ESPN commentator and, yes, brother of John – to go on his Holding Court podcast to talk about tennis and China, plus everything in between. It was a lot of fun – you can find that episode here (and see the video clip below). Just days earlier, I had the chance to talk to Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu on my own China Sports Insider Podcast – and he had a lot to say (full show blurb below). We also talked on the show about China losing its hosting rights to the 2023 Asian Cup – and see some of my comments I made on the topic to Reuters here.

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Stunning F1 Debut for Zhou Guanyu Sparks Talk of Shanghai GP Return in 2022

In the latest episode of the China Sports Insider Podcast, we talk to Italian race engineer and team manager turned series promoter Davide de Gobbi, arguably one of the most influential people in Asian motorsports. Chances are that if you attended or watched a China-based racing series over the past 15 years, de Gobbi had something to do with it. I’ve been commentating on motorsports events that he’s put on since 2013, including the 2021 Asian F3 Championship, won by none other than new F1 star Zhou Guanyu.

Zhou’s past, present and future fills much of the show, as well as the compelling argument that his stunning start to his F1 career – in the points on his debut in Bahrain last weekend – lends weight to rescheduling the Shanghai Grand Prix (cancelled in 2020-22 due to COVID-19) for late September this year, now that there is an empty spot on the calendar, due to the removal of the Russian GP. Full show blurb below.

Continue reading Stunning F1 Debut for Zhou Guanyu Sparks Talk of Shanghai GP Return in 2022