Zhou Guanyu has revealed his love of all things Texas as the Formula One roadshow prepares to roll into Austin this weekend.
Excitement is at fever pitch for the United States Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris fighting tooth and nail for the drivers’ championship.
There are storylines up and down the grid with fans set to descend on the racetrack, and now Zhou has revealed that the excitement extends as far as the drivers – with those behind the wheel also delighted to be in the southern state.
Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com ahead of the race, Sauber driver Zhou was asked what his favorite race is on the other side of the Atlantic, as F1 prepares for visits to Texas, Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas in the next five weeks.
‘All day, Austin,’ Zhou said. ‘Texas is a great place to be. It’s super chilled, but it has a very high value for motorsport. The fans are big on motorsport… whereas compared to Miami and Vegas, that’s more of a show. I like the pure racing atmosphere.
Zhou Guanyu is among the 20 F1 drivers descending on Austin for the US Grand Prix
‘It’s super bumpy, and the temperatures change between snowing and sunshine, so it’s normal that you get the tarmac raising up. But it’s classic, traditional… it’s very challenging, but I love the layout, with plenty of overtaking opportunities.’
It will be a hectic weekend for the drivers as they return to the track after almost a month off but, as Zhou explains, there will still be time for extra-curricular activities.
‘I’ve experienced quite a bit [of the culture] in Texas, more than most of the other races,’ he says. ‘We have this triple-header, so most of the teams stay in Austin and then travel straight to Mexico three or four days after.
‘It’s just different, people dressing in cowboy boots and hats, it’s so different to what I see on this side of the world [Europe and Asia]. Of course, the food is delicious… trying to keep the weight down that week is an issue for sure.’
Zhou (left) has revealed that Texas is his favorite race on this side of the Atlantic
After Austin, F1 heads to Mexico City at the end of October, before a weekend in Brazil – and then another huge three-day stint in Las Vegas.
Last year was the first time the sport had returned to Sin City since 1984, when they raced around the car park of Caesar’s Palace in a far less exciting spectacle than last year’s jaunt down the Strip.
Much of the racing takes place in the middle of the night, something the drivers have struggled to get used to.
‘It was a very different weekend compared to usual,’ Zhou explains. ‘We have other night races, but it’s a different feeling. In Vegas, everything happens in the night.
The Circuit of the Americas track is bumpy and has lots of room for overtaking
‘The biggest challenge for the drivers is the lights… all the lights coming from the hotels, in the background of the street. You’re aiming for the breaking point and it’s easy to get distracted by the brightness, it’s insane.
‘That year was pretty difficult one because we had the issues with the practice session, we were out there at 3am, finishing at 4am, getting back to the hotel at 7am to sleep in the daylight. It was a strange one, but I’m sure things will be a lot smoother now.
‘It’s just a cool place to go to, you never expect to race in Vegas and it’s happening now, we just need to make sure the schedule is better than last year.’