Oliver Bearman’s Meteoric Rise Evidence Prejudice in F1, Guanyu Zhou Reveals

The youngsters of F2 are making their way to the F1 headlines. To be honest, this has been a common sight in motorsport. But this year, the juniors have been a frequent top news story, especially the Prema duo of Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman. Antonelli’s Mercedes debut remains a little mystery yet, while Bearman has already secured his seat at Haas for 2025. The boys have shown great potential; however, it seems like Guanyu Zhou can smell some prejudice from a distance.

Their rise to fame could surprise some people. But just to let you know, Lewis Hamilton, just like all the drivers in F1, is a product of the junior racing categories. Zhou is the same as well. Then why does he feel there is something strange about Oliver Bearman’s F1 debut?

Oliver Bearman’s debut is receiving more hype than Guanyu Zhou’s debut received in 2022ADVERTISEMENT

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The first and only Chinese driver of F1, Zhou, has suffered greatly this season. Sauber has failed to present its drivers with good cars, including both Valtteri Bottas and Guanyu Zhou. Moreover, the flagbearer of the Dragons is at risk of losing his seat. Speaking with The Race, Zhou compared the treatment he received during his F1 debut in 2022 to Oliver Bearman’s debut news. He said: “You come around with third place in F2, winning four races that year, and [now] you see a driver outside the top 10 [in F2] at the moment is getting a seat, and there’s a lot of support for him.” The Briton is currently struggling in F2 with Prema. Sitting in 15th place, Ollie is having a hard time adjusting to a new car.

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Formula One F1 – Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Jeddah Corniche Circuit, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – March 8, 2024 Ferrari’s Oliver Bearman before practice REUTERS/Hamad I MohammedGuanyu Zhou further said, “It shows [prejudice around] nationality is a reality. That’s difficult to change when you’re Asian, coming from different countries in Asia, but I’m not worried about that.” The Chinese driver senses some kind of prejudice on the grounds of nationality. At the same time, Guanyu shared that he’s faced some harsh comments during his debut, which haven’t been seen with Ollie. However, it’s not for us to decide if he is right or wrong. Guanyu is currently under great pressure to score points. He has yet to add scores to his 2024 roster. But would that be possible in Sauber‘s current condition?

Moreover, Bearman rose through the ranks with stellar karting results before winning the Italian F4 championship. He finished third in his debut F3 season and, most importantly, impressed in his Grand Prix debut this year. He did a great job as Carlos Sainz’s replacement in Jeddah—he even scored points where Zhou struggled. Speaking of points, Guanyu Zhou’s F1 dream looks gloomy, with not a single point and no vacant seat available. Will 2024 be the Chinese driver’s last season until the future opens new doors?

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The impending loom of no future haunts Guanyu ZhouBeing a Ferrari Academy graduate, Guanyu Zhou’s only benefit has been his F1 debut. Besides, his three-season campaign is a story of heartbreak and disappointment. However, now that Mattia Binotto has walked into the Sauber administration, there could be a fine chance at a seat for Zhou. Is it guaranteed? No.

The current scenario isn’t in Guanyu’s favor. Earlier this year, there were rumors that Haas was in conversation with him, but looking at the American team, where is the seat? Although the Sauber driver has no problem being a reserve, if any team picks him, “I want to stay in this championship. That’s what I want to do. But in terms of what I do, if I become a third driver, I haven’t thought about it. My mindset is on getting a seat because there’s still, I would say, a chance of 50 percent or more that I get a seat,” said Zhou. However, he is keeping his faith in his capabilities as a driver.

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via Reuters

Is there some prejudice that Guanyu Zhou has been vocal about? His words could trigger inquiring minds to dig deeper, and maybe then there could be an answer to this fiery question. Meanwhile, the Shanghai-born driver must bounce back after the break to prove himself to his bosses and other teams’ bosses. And Ollie Bearman must do the same if he wishes to keep his reputation as the ‘fastest bear.’ Will both drivers change their present situation?