Formula 1 racing’s recent meteoric rise echoes the heartbeat of a world captivated by speed, adrenaline, and unparalleled spectacle.
Between 2019 to the present, Formula 1 has experienced a 36% increase in in-person attendance, and a 28% increase in television viewership.
Formula 1’s international exhibition has defied the COVID-era hindrances. It further transcended the revving engines and checkered flags to becoming a cultural and sporting phenomenon like no other.
With this, Formula 1 bears a new and unique obstacle: overcoming its own history of homogeneity.
The world of Formula 1 racing has long been dominated by a select group of elite drivers — currently standing at twenty to be exact — predominantly hailing from Western countries.
However, in more recent years we’ve seen improvement.
There is an uptick in team members from more diverse backgrounds rising to challenge the status quo.
One such trailblazer is Zhou Guanyu, the first and only Chinese driver on the circuit.
Since joining Team Alfa Romeo in 2022, Zhou Guanyu has redefined what it means to be a Formula 1 driver. His emergence broke through as a catalyst for a more inclusive and encompassing future in racing.
If Formula 1 is to continue their unprecedented growth, it needs to build on stories like Zhou Guanyu’s. Formula 1 also needs to further invest in programs and grassroots initiatives to inspire the next generation of athletes and further broaden their global influence.
Meet Zhou Guanyu
Born in Shanghai, China, Zhou Guanyu’s journey to Formula 1 is a testament to both personal triumph in the face of exclusion, and subsequently how providing opportunity to historically underrepresented populations can be beneficial to an operating party.
From a young age, Zhou Guanyu had a fascination with racing. After years of ascending the ranks, he eventually got his big break in 2019.
He was recruited to become a…
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