Zhou Guanyu has revealed that he skips over images or videos of his Silverstone crash in 2022 due to its “terrifying nature”.
On the opening lap of last year’s British Grand Prix, Zhou was flipped upside down on the run into the first corner after colliding with Mercedes’ George Russell.
The Alfa Romeo driver skated through the gravel trap before he was hurtled into the catch fencing.
The race was immediately red flagged and attention turned to Zhou’s extraction from the car – thankfully, he escaped without major injuries.
However, the 24-year-old says he only watched a replay of the incident once and hasn’t been able to view it again.
“It was on the BBC News wasn’t it,” he said, speaking to the Telegraph. “It was a big story. I know that.
“But from my point of view I haven’t watched it back. Apart from once at the medical centre because I wanted to know why I got flipped.
“If I see a picture now I skip it because it’s very terrifying to rewind it back. I try not to think about it.
“Every time you think about it, it’s very dark. You feel like something’s not going to be okay. That it might be your last race or whatever.
“There was a lot of things that go through my mind. “You’re thinking ‘It’s over’.
“But yeah I just tried to release the steering wheel, then hope for the best. You know, protect myself and wait for the last impact, the biggest impact, which is what makes you either okay or not.”
The FIA pushed through changes to the roll hoop for the 2023 season following the accident, and they are now subject to stricter strength tests after Zhou’s failed when he impacted the ground.
Zhou praised the halo cockpit protection device, believing it saved his life as it kept his head from hitting the asphalt.
“Yeah for my family it was really tough,” Zhou says. “But the good thing is the safety of the car was so good.
“Obviously the halo saved me that day. And I stayed conscious the whole way through.
“I think that was very important. That’s probably the reason why I got released from the medical centre so soon after the crash.”
