Up-and-coming F2 racer Zhou completes two-day F1 test with Renault in Hungary

It’s been a busy couple of days for Renault Sport Academy driver Guanyu Zhou, the 20-year-old Chinese driver clocking up nearly 1000km in 2018-spec Formula 1 machinery at the Hungaroring…

Zhou is aiming to become F1’s first ever Chinese racer and got more preparation under his belt with two smooth days of running in the R.S.18.

The test is part of his role as Renault test driver, a role he took on for 2020 dovetailing it with a campaign in F2 with UNI-Virtuosi Racing.

READ MORE: Chinese driver Guanyu Zhou takes step towards F1 with Renault test role

He’s currently eighth in the drivers’ standings, having scored three podiums this year - though a victory still somehow eludes him, despite two career pole positions.

In Hungary, he clocked up 227 laps in total - 450km on the opening day and 520km on Thursday, completing a mix of qualifying and race simulations.

On Instagram, he said: “Neck still feeling fresh, lovely”, while his post on Twitter was similarly brief, if a little more euphoric.

"I love fast cars," he wrote. "Good to be back."

It was his first F1 test of 2020, with the 20-year-old having previously tested at the Red Bull Ring, Barcelona, Budapest, Paul Ricard and Jerez.