China's F1 rookie eyes improvements as excitement builds around Alfa Romeo star following flying start to season

Just two races into his debut Formula 1 season, Zhou Guanyu already has the look of an accomplished veteran behind the wheel in the pinnacle of motor sport.

After an expectation-defying 10th-place finish in the opening Grand Prix in Bahrain, Zhou produced another impressive drive in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, finishing 11th despite incurring penalties.

Little wonder then that the 22-year-old Alfa Romeo driver is looking to future races expecting to spring more surprises.

"I'm very confident. In the opening race, I accomplished my two goals for the season, which is testimony to my hard work in preseason, especially how I've gelled with the team," Zhou told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Monday.

"Although we had some setbacks in Saudi Arabia, overall the team is in a really good place, the atmosphere is great, and we keep moving in the right direction.

"But we can't afford to be complacent. This is a long season, and we need to keep making improvements to make our car go faster and faster, ultimately so we can have better results."

Exceeding the expectations of many fans and pundits, Zhou's 10th-place finish in Bahrain earned a precious point in a dream F1 debut for the fast-rising Chinese star.

He maintained that momentum in Saudi Arabia last weekend, but his chances of a second straight points finish were scuppered by two penalties－the first imposed for cutting a corner in an early scrap with Williams' Alexander Albon, and the second for failing to serve the first penalty correctly when he pitted.

Zhou has resolved to do everything he can to avoid repeating such blips. "During the race, I always need to keep focused and calm, because F1 is a very intense motor sport. There can be very serious consequences if I'm distracted on the race track," he said.

"So I make sure not to get emotional. But after this race, I will have more communication with the team, and ensure we don't have such problems in the future."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won an epic battle with Charles Leclerc in Saudi Arabia, with Carlos Sainz completing the podium behind his Ferrari teammate.

Learning curve

Zhou's flying start to his F1 career suggests glory awaits the young driver, however there's still a steep learning curve ahead as he aims for the F1 podium.

This season's new technical regulations mean Zhou is making his debut in machinery that is similarly unfamiliar to his rivals.

With Zhou's raw talent and the competitiveness of the Alfa Romeo C42 car, fans have every reason to believe a podium finish may not be too far off. Zhou and the team, it seems, are daring to dream, too.

"To be honest, there's excitement in the team, throughout the whole paddock. As the only rookie, there will be extra stuff to get used to, to be learned quickly. (Even with the new cars) the guys already on the grid have the experience, but I have to try to straightaway be at my best and to compete against them. That's the most challenging task," Zhou told formula1.com.

"But apart from that, it's nice to be entering Formula 1 at the start of a new era, where there are big question marks about which team will perform well. I think the biggest challenge for us as a team is trying to find the right direction to move forward throughout the year, to develop toward a better and better car."

After three impressive F2 seasons, Zhou was named China's first F1 driver in December, and the step up in class has been a real eye-opener.

"In F2, everything on the car was pretty much fixed, the amount you can change is so little," Zhou explained.

"In F1, you can do almost everything on the steering wheel to suit your driving preferences, so it's very difficult to find the right window. I wouldn't say I've found that window yet, but I think during the year we will progress in the right direction."

Adjusting to F1's extra physical intensity also presents a significant challenge.

"From the very beginning, the requirement on myself is to have the same standard as an F1 driver. Since starting in F2, I have had intense physical training," Zhou said.

"A priority now is to further enhance my cardio conditioning, because the long-distance F1 races are very physically demanding. I also need to strengthen my neck to better cope with the G-force."

Despite being such a perfectionist, Zhou still finds time to unwind.

"Apart from racing, I also like design, fashion and rap music, as well as playing other sports like soccer, basketball and badminton with my friends. So after the race, I try to reset as much as possible."

Next up for Zhou is the Australian Grand Prix from April 8-10, when Chinese F1 fans will be hoping for more magic from their newfound hero.