“It hurt quite a bit”

Zhou became China’s first full-time F1 driver this year after graduating from Formula 2, partnering Valtteri Bottas at Alfa Romeo.

But Zhou was subject to criticism and abuse online prior to his F1 debut as many questioned his suitability for the seat and tagged him as a pay driver. Antonio Giovinazzi, who Zhou replaced at Alfa Romeo, said after losing his seat that F1 could be “ruthless” when “money rules.”

A point on debut in Bahrain provided what Zhou called