Cambodian Human Rights Committee Remarks on Recent Case of Detained Soldiers and Thai Response | CMAC Confirms Expertise on MK-84 Bomb as Evidence Supports Cambodia’s Claims | U.S. Pledges Full Support for Cambodia–Thailand Ceasefire in Meeting with General Tea Seiha | UN Agencies Join Government Field Visit to Assess Needs of Displaced Communities in Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap | Cambodians Worldwide Stand for Peace as PM Pushes for Release of Soldiers Held by Thailand | TOP NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Ceasefire and Establish Mechanisms for Border Stability | TOP NEWS: Cambodia, Thailand Reach Critical Agreements in Bid to Ease Border Tensions | TOP NEWS: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet Nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize | U.S. Welcomes Progress in Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Efforts | Techo Hun Sen Addresses Escalating Cambodia–Thailand Border Incidents | Japan Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Mechanism Agreement | BREAKING: Two Malaysian Tourists Set on Fire in Bangkok, Suspect Arrested | Thailand Taps Former Beauty Queen Panadda Wongphudee to Counter Cambodia’s Defence Spokeswoman | BREAKING: THIRD LANDMINE BLAST INJURES THAI TROOPS NEAR CAMBODIAN BORDER, SPARKING DIPLOMATIC CLASH | BREAKING: Thai Patrol Hit by Landmine Near Thai Border—Cambodia Rejects Accusations | BREAKING : Cambodian Mine Authority Denies Thailand’s Allegations of New Landmine Use |
Cambodian Human Rights Committee Remarks on Recent Case of Detained Soldiers and Thai Response | CMAC Confirms Expertise on MK-84 Bomb as Evidence Supports Cambodia’s Claims | U.S. Pledges Full Support for Cambodia–Thailand Ceasefire in Meeting with General Tea Seiha | UN Agencies Join Government Field Visit to Assess Needs of Displaced Communities in Oddar Meanchey and Siem Reap | Cambodians Worldwide Stand for Peace as PM Pushes for Release of Soldiers Held by Thailand | TOP NEWS: Cambodia and Thailand Agree to Ceasefire and Establish Mechanisms for Border Stability | TOP NEWS: Cambodia, Thailand Reach Critical Agreements in Bid to Ease Border Tensions | TOP NEWS: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet Nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize | U.S. Welcomes Progress in Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Efforts | Techo Hun Sen Addresses Escalating Cambodia–Thailand Border Incidents | Japan Welcomes Cambodia-Thailand Ceasefire Mechanism Agreement | BREAKING: Two Malaysian Tourists Set on Fire in Bangkok, Suspect Arrested | Thailand Taps Former Beauty Queen Panadda Wongphudee to Counter Cambodia’s Defence Spokeswoman | BREAKING: THIRD LANDMINE BLAST INJURES THAI TROOPS NEAR CAMBODIAN BORDER, SPARKING DIPLOMATIC CLASH | BREAKING: Thai Patrol Hit by Landmine Near Thai Border—Cambodia Rejects Accusations | BREAKING : Cambodian Mine Authority Denies Thailand’s Allegations of New Landmine Use |

Chinese F1 trailblazer Zhou not just making up the numbers

INTERNATIONAL: Guanyu Zhou, who will become China's first Formula One driver when he makes his debut next month, said he is not in the sport just to make up the numbers.

The 22-year-old has signed for the Alfa Romeo team alongside former Mercedes racer Valtteri Bottas and will become the first driver from the country of 1.4 billion to line up on the grid at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 20.

"I don’t want to be in Formula One just for the sake of being here. I want to be here to be proving myself, to be making my country, making all the people supporting me proud.

"I want to do well in Formula One."

"To be that first one is definitely something very important.

"It’s a little bit like Yao Ming for NBA. When he shined in the NBA scenario, people were really into basketball and basketball became a huge sport back home.

"That’s what I’m trying to do now."

"With the reset because of the new regulations I feel like there's no limits in a way, we shouldn't put any limits on what is our target, what we can do, what we can't do. So anything is possible and that is exciting, and that's the same for every team. But we as a team take it as an opportunity to make a good jump forward."

"I feel like it's going to be a bit more equal than it was before, also thanks to the budget cap and the changes in the cars.

"So I really think it's going to be good for Formula One. It's going to be fun for the spectators, fun for drivers and teams as well."

Zhou's love of motorsport began when he attended his home Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai as a five-year-old in 2004, the first F1 race held in the country.

The fanbase in China has grown steadily since but there is still a huge growth opportunity for the sport in what it sees as a key market.

Formula One in November extended its contract with the Chinese Grand Prix until 2025.

The race will be absent from the calendar for the third year in a row due to the COVID-19 pandemic this season but the sport has long wanted two races in the country.

Zhou, who was Renault-owned Alpine's test driver last year and a member of their young driver academy, likened himself to NBA trailblazer Yao Ming.

"To be that first one is definitely something very important," he said.

"It’s a little bit like Yao Ming for NBA.

"When he shined in the NBA scenario, basketball became a huge sport back home.

"That’s what I’m trying to do now."

Alfa Romeo became the last of the 10 teams to officially launch their 2022 car.



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