On the show this week, Mark and Haig discuss Chinese motorsports driver Zhou Guanyu’s stunning F1 debut and the huge number of people in China who have been following him (2:13). Zhou’s likability will endear him to audiences both in China and abroad (2:56), but international commentators have had a hard time understanding that, in China, the family name comes first — something Zhou himself has requested (3:44). Elsewhere, there’s been a shake-up among the KRS Vanke Ray women’s ice hockey team in Russia, with several ins and out, plus an incredible winning streak despite a decimated team (5:04).
Next, we’re joined by Davide De Gobbi, an Italian who’s been a central figure in the world of Chinese motorsports for 15 years. What did he make of Zhou Guanyu’s debut F1 race (8:21)? And when did Zhou first come onto his radar (9:25)? Davide discusses how far Zhou can go and why he thinks the Shanghai native has the potential to be a top driver (11:15). Zhou Guanyu signed with Alfa Romeo last year Iis that a good fit (15:15)? Lots of critics said Zhou bought his seat on the F1 grid — but that’s not really true (16:07).
De Gobbi talks about the impact Zhou Guanyu’s success could have on motorsports in China, despite the country still missing a base of young drivers (18:50), before making a strong case for the Shanghai Grand Prix returning to the F1 calendar as soon as this year, given the removal of the Russian race (22:14). F1 execs have previously explored the possibility of a second GP in China — where might it be held and when (24:56)? De Gobbi discusses China’s current position on the motorsports development curve (27:28), explains why it might be a while before the next top driver comes along (32:10), describes how China’s esports culture could help discover a new generation of drivers (34:00), and tells us why he’s still optimistic about the future of motorsports in China, despite the challenges of the past few years (36:15).
