China F1 sponsor interest “difficult” but coming, says Alfa Romeo

Zhou stepped up from FIA Formula 2 this season to become China’s first full-time F1 driver in a move welcomed by the series’ bosses, who are hoping to increase its popularity in the country.

Alfa Romeo was quite open when it signed him that part of the attraction of taking Zhou was that it could open the door for greater commercial opportunities from his home country.

But although the Swiss squad has added deals with a couple of Chinese businesses, such as SenseTime and…