Zhou Guanyu is confident the return of the Chinese Grand Prix will be a success in 2024.
Formula 1 last visited Shanghai for its 1000th race in 2019 but has been unable to return since due to COVID-19 pandemic.
In fact, this year’s event, originally scheduled for this weekend, was cancelled just days before China lifted its zero-COVID policy.
“I’m disappointed but I kind of saw this coming because of the restrictions, we didn’t open the border early enough,” Zhou told Sky Sports.
“So when we had the race scheduled for April, I knew everything was too tight.”
Zhou, now in his second season at Alfa Romeo, is the first full-time Chinese driver on the F1 grid.
And the Shanghai native certainly hopes to still be racing when the sport eventually returns.
“I saw it coming [the 2023 cancellation] but I don’t feel too bad because I feel like the home race will come, it’s just a matter of time,” he added.
“All I have to do is just do well here and keep a long career in F1. So I have as many home races as I want to, because it will come back next year.”
Much has changed since the last Chinese GP, including a boom in F1’s popularity.
And Zhou is sure that will also be reflected when the race returns in Shanghai.
“I have no doubts all the tickets will be sold out really quickly, and that it will be packed with people around the whole circuit,” he said.
“I’ve felt the popularity improve growing up and in recent years, especially the last few years since I became an F1 driver.
“There are a lot of people who just want to go on a track day, driving themselves, and are also interested in watching races – so it’s nice to see that.
“I think the most important part, the next big step, will be having the home race so that people newly interested in Formula 1 can actually experience that themselves and they can really feel the impact and energy of the sport.”