After the announcement of Kick Sauber dropping both Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, the future of both drivers became unclear, leading to various speculations, some of which proved to be true. Valtteri Bottas is set to return to Mercedes as a reserve driver and today, the announcement of Zhou Guanyu returning to Ferrari has shaken the F1 world.
Zhou was part of the Ferrari family from 2015 to 2018 as a member of the Driver Academy throughout his Formula 4 and Formula 3 career. His journey with the team ended with his move up to Formula 2 where he raced under Alpine Academy for three seasons, securing multiple podiums and wins. After finishing third in the 2021 Formula 2 standings, Zhou earned his chance in Formula 1, making his debut in 2022 as an Alfa Romeo driver, becoming the first-ever Chinese driver to compete in Formula 1, fulfilling his childhood dream.
His three seasons as a full-time Formula 1 driver have been challenging. Finishing 18th in the Drivers’ Championship, securing six points and setting one fastest lap in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons for Alfa Romeo. In the 2024 season, racing for Kick Sauber, Zhou finished 20th in the overall standings with four points scored at the Qatar Grand Prix, which were the only points the team earned all year.
After his departure from Kick Sauber, Ferrari wasn’t the only team interested in Zhou Guanyu as he received multiple offers for the role of reserve driver, a highly valued position full of behind-the-scenes work. Reserve drivers contribute to car development through their work in simulators as well as providing a backup in cases where the full-time driver isn’t capable of driving.
As we now know, the Chinese driver is entering a new chapter as a reserve driver alongside Antonio Giovinazzi for Ferrari, fulfilling his duties to support Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton and the entire team. This collaboration could also help him in the future. With Cadillac becoming the eleventh team on the grid in 2026, it has been confirmed that the new team will use Ferrari power units and gearboxes, so Zhou’s experience at Ferrari could potentially increase his chances of becoming a full-time drivers for the American team.