Formula 1: Guanyu Chou chooses No. 24 in honor of Coby Bryant

Guanyu Chou is not only the gateway to the large Chinese market and Alfa Romeo to its sponsors. He was a star in Formula 2 that year and is undoubtedly the greatest driving talent that China has shown in motorsport.

Over the past ten years, Formula 1 has adopted the American system, primarily for marketing reasons, in which every driver chooses a number that accompanies them throughout their career. The only exception is that the champion can pick the number 1 for next season, which Lewis Hamilton didn’t do but Max Ferstappen intends to do this year.

Chow chose 24th place thanks to his childhood sporting idol, NBA star Coby Bryant, who lost out at an early age. Bryant, who shocked the sports world when he died in a helicopter crash two years ago, joined the Los Angeles Lakers with the same number in his 20-year career.

“Coby Bryant was a role model for me when I was more interested in basketball than motorsport.” said the Chinese driver. “What impressed me most about him was his work ethic. Although he was considered the best player of the day, he worked tirelessly to improve.

He woke up at four in the morning, started exercising, then took a short break to take his children to school and keep practicing. But also beyond that, the number 24 is 4 times the number 6, which is the lucky number in my country “, Chou explained.