Zhou Guanyu will end a 20-year wait on the weekend when he becomes the first Chinese driver to race at the nation's Formula One grand prix in his home town of Shanghai.
Zhou is in his third year at Sauber which from 2026 will be taken over by Audi as a works team.
He recalled on Thursday that he attended the inaugural Shanghai GP in 2004 as a five-year-old spectator but his racing debut there was delayed because due to the coronavirus the race has not taken place since 2019.
"For me it’s been 20 years waiting to this Grand Prix, this journey has been not extremely easy, just because of where I’m coming from and also trying to win at least a lot of races in feeder series to be here, and then watching F1 every year," he told reporters.
“When I realised that the home race is not happening for two years in a row, [the focus was] just try to do your best to maintain your seat and then to be here today.
"A lot of mixed emotion of course going through the weekend. I want to treat it as much as a normal race weekend, but I’m sure that there will be plenty of supporters coming throughout the days. Can’t wait to be driving the first time on track tomorrow.
Interest is huge, with all tickets snapped up within an hour when sales started in January, and Zhou hopes to finally garner his first points of the season, for which he has two opportunities because Shanghai offers a sprint race next to the grand prix proper.
Zhou said the sound fascinated him when he watched on 20 years ago, and he left China seven years later to pursue his dream of becoming an F1 driver.
He went to London, became part of Ferrari's academy and then that of Renault before finally arriving at Sauber.
Zhou's contract expires after the season but he said he would love to spend "many more years in Formula One", while also hoping that more Chinese talent will be arriving.
"I’m happy to see not just myself be here, I think a lot of young drivers maybe the age of 10, 6, 8, [are] already starting their racing here or in Europe, trying to chase this journey into Formula One," he said.
"It’s great to be representing the country, to drive for the first time here.”