China-born Zhou Guanyu will be a star regardless of who wins the Chinese Formula 1 race in Shanghai

People walk past a billboard showing Chinese Formula One driver Zhou Guanyu at a shopping mall complex in Beijing on April 15, 2024. - AFP

SHANGHAI: Formula 1 returns to China this weekend after a five-year absence. And no matter who wins on Sunday (April 21), the star locally will be China-born driver Zhou Guanyu.

Despite his so-so results, Zhou is a being promoted as a celebrity in China. He’s the subject of a new film as the first Chinese driver to compete in F1. And he’s, of course, a favourite of sponsors who want a Chinese connection.