Zhou Guanyu took a vital step towards reclaiming a full-time Components 1 seat on Wednesday, as Ferrari confirmed he could be sharing reserve driver duties with Antonio Giovinazzi for the 2025 season.
The 2024 driver market was extremely risky, with Lewis Hamilton’s blockbuster transfer to Ferrari triggering a domino impact that reshaped staff lineups throughout the paddock.
Zhou’s former staff, Sauber, endured a dismal season, ending on the backside of the constructors’ championship with simply 4 factors. These factors got here courtesy of Zhou’s stellar drive on the Qatar Grand Prix, however his efforts weren’t sufficient to safe his place within the squad. As an alternative, Sauber opted for an all-new lineup of Nico Hülkenberg and rookie Gabriel Bortoleto. All through the season, Zhou remained vocal about his need to remain in Components 1, although he acknowledged that his possibilities of retaining his seat with the soon-to-be Audi-run staff have been slim.
A brand new report from Motorsport Italia has make clear Zhou’s future ambitions and the way his Ferrari transfer could also be a stepping stone towards his final goal—racing for Cadillac when the staff enters Components 1 in 2026.
Zhou Guanyu’s Ambition: A Cadillac Race Seat in 2026
Ferrari has introduced Zhou onboard to share reserve duties with Antonio Giovinazzi, who could have occasional conflicts on account of his commitments within the World Endurance Championship. The Motorsport Italia report means that Zhou’s long-term aim is to safe a seat with Cadillac in 2026, and his newest transfer may considerably enhance his possibilities of attaining that goal.
Cadillac will debut in Components 1 subsequent season utilizing Ferrari energy models whereas Basic Motors continues the event of its personal engines. This association mirrors Ferrari’s partnership with Haas, which performed a key function in Oliver Bearman’s rise to a full-time F1 drive. One other main think about Zhou’s favor is that his supervisor, Graeme Lowdon, has been appointed as Cadillac’s staff principal, additional strengthening his ties to the American outfit.
Nonetheless, whereas Zhou has a powerful connection to the mission, Cadillac can also be eager on fielding an American driver. Colton Herta is among the many frontrunners for a race seat, and whereas direct comparisons between Herta and Zhou stay speculative, the Chinese language driver’s prior F1 expertise might be a decisive benefit in securing the second slot on the staff.
Zhou Guanyu’s Position with Ferrari in 2025
Whereas Zhou’s addition to Ferrari’s roster isn’t a vital side of their 2025 season technique, his presence enhances the staff’s depth in case both Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc is unavailable.
Antonio Giovinazzi and Components 2 prospect Dino Beganovic just lately participated in a Ferrari check session in Barcelona, the place Hamilton and Leclerc additionally ran a Pirelli tire check. Zhou’s return to Ferrari is notable, as he was a part of their driver academy from 2014 to 2018 earlier than transferring on to pursue alternatives elsewhere.
At current, Zhou just isn’t scheduled to compete in any racing sequence alongside his reserve function. Nonetheless, ought to he search race expertise in one other class, it will must align with weekends when Antonio Giovinazzi is offered for Ferrari’s F1 commitments.
His administration staff pushed aggressively to maintain him inside the Components 1 ecosystem, and at one level, Zhou was even linked to a reserve function with Pink Bull.
Lewis Hamilton has beforehand spoken extremely of Zhou, and dealing alongside the seven-time world champion may show invaluable because the Chinese language driver prepares for a possible return to the grid in 2026—probably as a part of Components 1’s latest staff.
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