Alfa Romeo's Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu is seen prior to the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix final at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain on May 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Meng Dingbo)
Chinese F1 driver Zhou Guanyu is ready to return to the circuit after suffering a terrifying crash at the British Grand Prix.
SHANGHAI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Several days after surviving a terrifying crash at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu is ready to put on his suit and race in his Alfa Romeo car again.
"I think I'm all good," Zhou told Xinhua in an exclusive interview just four days after the crash. "I'm prepared to race."
Zhou was involved in a multi-car pile-up on Lap 1 of the British Grand Prix last weekend, as his car flipped upside down and rolled off the track, and was later stuck between the crash barrier and catch fencing.
It was the Halo safety device that protected Zhou from serious injuries. "I'm ok, all clear. Halo saved me today. Thanks everyone for your kind messages!" Zhou wrote on social media afterwards.
Alfa Romeo's Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu crashes out at the start of the Formula One British Grand Prix at the Silverstone motor racing circuit in Silverstone, Britain on July 3, 2022. (Photo by Qian Jun/Xinhua)
After the horror of the crash, fans have been worrying about Zhou's physical and mental condition. "I did some recovery training in the past few days to get myself in a good position and try to forget about the accident that day," Zhou said.
"After a few days of rest, everything is better than I expected," said the 23-year-old. "I don't think there is any problem psychologically. With so many years of training, I can face any difficulty from deep inside and I have enough patience to overcome these difficulties."
As the Chinese driver received a green light to race after an examination from FIA doctors, Alfa Romeo has confirmed Zhou's participation in the upcoming Austria GP this weekend.
"Austria has always been my favorite circuit and I have fond memories there," Zhou said with confidence when talking about his next race. "I had my first practice session in Austria in 2021."
"I hope the team can fix my car so that I can give 100 percent to try for a better result," Zhou added. ■
