EXCLUSIVE: Zhou Guanyu on Sauber struggles, F1 dreams and regrets

Zhou Guanyu has opened up about his struggles at Sauber, his Formula 1 dreams and the regrets he has in his career so far.

The Chinese driver made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2022, but has struggled to make an impact, scoring just six points in his first 12 races.

Zhou has been outpaced by his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, and has been involved in several incidents on track.

In an exclusive interview with Sportsmail, Zhou admitted that he has found it difficult to adapt to F1.

"It's been a tough season so far," he said. "I've made some mistakes and I've not been as competitive as I would like to be.

"But I'm learning all the time and I'm determined to improve."

Zhou also spoke about his dreams of racing for a top team in F1.

"My ultimate goal is to win the world championship," he said. "I know that it will be difficult, but I'm prepared to work hard and make it happen.

"I believe that I have the potential to be one of the best drivers in the world, and I'm determined to prove it."

Zhou also revealed that he has some regrets about his career so far.

"I wish I had started racing in Europe sooner," he said. "I think it would have helped me to develop as a driver.

"But I'm still young and I have a lot of time to improve."

Zhou is hoping to improve his form in the second half of the season.

"I'm confident that I can turn things around," he said. "I'm working hard and I'm determined to show everyone what I can do.

"I'm excited for the future and I believe that my best is yet to come."