31 December 2023 , 14:32
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Zhou Guanyu swore as he blasted the "politics" of the Formula 1 paddock amid speculation his place may be under scrutiny.
Zhou, F1's first Chinese driver, has two full seasons' worth of experience under his belt now with the Sauber team, branded as Alfa Romeo. And during that time he has shown flashes of his talent despite being given uncompetitive cars to drive.
He was given a one-year extension after his debut season with Sauber. And the team repeated that again for 2024 with another short-term deal to give the 24-year-old more opportunities to show what he can do.
But that only came after plenty of speculation over his future. There were some reports that there was a lack of financial backing for Zhou and that it could put his place in jeopardy - that particular rumour strengthened by initial suggestions when he first joined F1 that money had played a role in his promotion.
Zhou has bluntly made it clear he is not at all interested in speculation about him. And he dismissed the suggestion that his financial backing has taken a hit by slamming that particular claim as an example of paddock "politics".
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Speaking to Autosport, he said: "People were saying Sergio [Perez] would retire in the Mexico GP but nothing goes on. It is the rumours of Fernando [Alonso] swapping his seat [to join Red Bull]. That's crazy.
"I actually understand more about the media, especially when you have other drivers, or from the medias of that country making rumours, makes you worry. But from the inside out, you know what's going on. You are quite easy understanding about them.
"I don't give a s**t about it, to be honest! It is like all the other crazy stuff I got when I first signed my contract. I was like, 'I will just let it flow, I will make sure I do the talking on track - making sure people respect why I'm here'. Everything's been good since then.
"I'm just quite laid back but it's actually quite fun at times to see some rumours because you know what's coming - you signed the contract, there's still rumours about other people are taking your seat. It's quite funny sometimes."
Zhou and team-mate Valtteri Bottas form an unchanged line-up for the team in 2024. But there is a new identity in the form of the team name, with Alfa Romeo no longer the title sponsor - the official new branding is set to be made public on New Year's Day.