Zhou Guanyu says his final-lap pass on Alexander Albon in yesterday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, which wasn’t broadcast during the race, was “the best overtake I’ve done all season.”
The Alfa Romeo driver swept around the outside of his Williams rival at the high-speed turn nine to claim 12th place on the final tour at Yas Marina.
Zhou made his second pit stop for a set of soft tyres with 14 laps to go, falling to 16th place. He passed Mick Schumacher and Pierre Gasly which left him with just one lap to find a way past Albon, who was on an older set of medium tyres.
He used DRS on the run to the turn six-seven chicane to get a run on the outside of Albon and successfully moved ahead. But Albon was able to re-pass Zhou on his outside in the second DRS zone as they approached turn nine.
Undeterred, Zhou swept back to the outside of the Alfa Romeo as they approached the corner. Braking deep into the rapid left-hander, he drew fully alongside Albon, who had to leave him space at the exit. “Let’s fucking go!” shouted Zhou as he left the Williams behind.
Although his aggressive strategy and last-pass didn’t help Alfa Romeo in their successful fight with Aston Martin for sixth place in the constructors championship, Zhou was thrilled with the end to the final race of his rookie season.
“We had to sacrifice my strategy to hold on through the last laps, and I think we did a good job with that,” he said. “We truly gave it all out there, it was an amazing fight on track and I think also the best overtake I’ve done all season.”
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Pictures: Zhou’s last lap pass on Abon
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