"Becoming an F1 driver has always been my dream, and I'm really excited to finally fulfill my dream. I want to thank all my fans who have been following my races and supporting me," Zhou told China Daily in an exclusive interview.

"I'm looking forward to the opening race of the next F1 season. Until then, I will continue to comprehensively improve. And I will learn from my teammate, Valtteri Bottas, who is a very experienced driver. I hope you can always support me and follow my first F1 season."

Alfa Romeo said they are confident about their team for next season. The sport will undergo major changes next year, with new car design rules introduced, especially in relation to aerodynamics, to encourage closer racing.