On September 26 2004, Rubens Barrichello won the inaugural Chinese Grand Prix, the Ferrari driver leading home BAR Honda's Jenson Button, Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren and the Renault of Fernando Alonso.

A five-year-old Chinese boy watched on in awe, more desperate than most to become a racing driver. Just under 14 years on, that boy, Guan Yu Zhou, is oh-so-close to joining the list of names to make it as an Formula 1 driver, and is racing as a junior for the Renault team he watched Alonso lead that day.

The Shanghai-born driver has a lot in common with Alonso - as unusual as that might sound on first mention. Not only with the Renault link, but also when it comes to inspiring a nation.