F1 star Zhou Guanyu on his favorite US race… and struggling to keep the weight off in Texas!

Zhou Guanyu has revealed his love for all things Texas as the Formula 1 roadshow rolls into Austin this weekend.

The tension is high ahead of the United States Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen and Lando Norris fighting tooth and nail for the drivers’ championship.

There are storylines up and down the grid with fans ready to take to the track, and now Zhou has revealed that the excitement extends to the drivers – with those behind the wheel also happy to be in the southern able to be.

Speaking exclusively to DailyMail.com, Sauber driver Zhou was asked ahead of the race what his favorite race is on the other side of the Atlantic as F1 prepares for visits to Texas, Mexico, Brazil and Las Vegas in the next five weeks.

“All day, Austin,” Zhou said. “Texas is a great place to be. It is super cooled, but has a very high value for motorsport. The fans love motorsports… while compared to Miami and Vegas, it’s more of a show. I love the pure racing atmosphere.

‘It’s super bumpy and the temperatures vary between snow and sunshine, so it’s normal for the asphalt to go up. But it’s classic, traditional… it’s very challenging, but I like the layout, with lots of overtaking opportunities.’

It will be a hectic weekend for the drivers as they return to the track after almost a month away, but as Zhou explains, there will still be time for extracurricular activities.

‘I’ve been through quite a bit [of the culture] in Texas, more than most other races,” he says. “We have this triple-header, so most of the teams stay in Austin and travel straight to Mexico three or four days afterward.

‘It’s just different, people wearing cowboy boots and hats, it’s so different from what I see on this side of the world [Europe and Asia]. Of course the food is delicious…trying to maintain your weight that week is definitely a problem.’

Zhou (left) has revealed that Texas is his favorite race on this side of the Atlantic

After Austin, F1 heads to Mexico City at the end of October for a weekend in Brazil – and then a big three-day stint in Las Vegas.

Last year marked the first time the sport returned to Sin City since 1984, when they raced around the Caesar’s Palace parking lot in a far less exciting spectacle than last year’s jaunt down the Strip.

Much of the racing takes place in the middle of the night, something drivers have difficulty getting used to.

“It was a very different weekend than usual,” Zhou explains. “We have different night races, but it’s a different feeling. In Vegas everything happens at night.

The Circuit of the Americas track is bumpy and offers plenty of room for overtaking

‘The biggest challenge for the drivers is the lights… all the lights coming from the hotels, in the background of the street. You’re aiming for the breaking point and you’re easily distracted by the brightness, it’s insane.

‘That year was quite difficult because we had problems with the practice session: we were there at 3am, finished at 4am and went back to the hotel at 7am to sleep in daylight. It was strange, but I’m sure everything will go a lot smoother now.

“It’s just a cool place to go. You never expect to race in Vegas and it’s happening now. We just have to make sure the schedule is better than last year.”