Zhou Guanyu‘s return for the 2025 F1 season has been confirmed following his appointment as Ferrari F1 reserve driver.
The announcement marks a homecoming for the Chinese driver who previously spent four years in the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy and he will work alongside Antonio Giovinazzi to provide critical support to race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.
Zhou Guanyu’s return follows his departure from Sauber at the end of the 2024 season where he made history as Formula 1’s first Chinese driver.
Zhou’s journey with Ferrari began in 2015 when he joined the prestigious Ferrari Driver Academy, a platform that nurtured his progression through Formula 4 and Formula 3.
During his academy years he demonstrated consistent performance, laying the groundwork for his eventual promotion to Formula 2 where he secured five race wins and 20 podium finishes across three seasons.
Zhou made his F1 debut in 2022 with Alfa Romeo (currently Kick Sauber) where he competed for three seasons. Despite scoring 16 points and recording two fastest laps over 68 Grand Prix starts, Sauber opted for an all-new driver lineup of Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto for 2025, prompting his exit.
Ferrari’s decision to reintegrate him into their operations highlights his resilience and the value of his institutional knowledge.
“Zhou Guanyu is taken on as a reserve driver for Scuderia Ferrari HP alongside Antonio Giovinazzi who continues in this role,” Ferrari confirmed in a statement.
“For the Chinese driver, it is something of a homecoming, as he spent four years with the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018.”
As a Ferrari F1 reserve driver, the 25-year old will attend all Grand Prix weekends in 2025 F1, ready to step in for Hamilton or Leclerc if needed. This role demands a deep understanding of the SF-25 chassis, hybrid power unit, and strategic operations—a challenge Zhou is poised to meet given his prior familiarity with the team’s systems.
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Zhou’s tenure at Sauber, though unspectacular, showcased his ability to deliver under challenging conditions. In 2024, he scored Sauber’s only points with a ninth-place finish in Qatar in a car hampered by aerodynamic inefficiencies and reliability issues.
His feedback during development cycles and collaborative approach with engineers earned praise, traits that the Scuderia will leverage as they refine their 2025 F1 challenger.
Zhou Guanyu’s return for 2025 F1 represents more than a backup role—it also serves as a strategic foothold to remain embedded in Formula 1’s competitive ecosystem. Speaking at the 2024 Abu Dhabi GP, he highlighted his determination to secure a race seat for 2026 F1.
“Yeah, you probably will see my face around this paddock,” he said. “I want to make sure I’m happy in whatever place I am, and then we can work on a comeback on the grid for a drive, because that’s all I want to do.
“You know, you don’t want to keep sitting around. So everything, whatever I do, I’m making sure I’m in a place that I feel promising for the future, and then hopefully a drive for ’26.”
Additionally, Zhou’s historic status as China’s first F1 driver amplifies his commercial appeal, a factor likely considered by Ferrari as they expand their global fanbase ahead of the sport’s growing calendar in Asia.
Meanwhile his counterpart Antonio Giovinazzi will balance reserve duties with his commitments in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), where he races the #51 Ferrari 499P Hypercar.
Giovinazzi who is a seasoned reserve driver for Ferrari since 2017 brings additional continuity to the role, though Zhou Guanyu’s return and full-time presence at races ensures Ferrari has immediate backup coverage.
The duo replaces Oliver Bearman who transitions to a full-time seat with Haas F1 Team after impressing as a substitute for Carlos Sainz in 2024.
