Ferrari announces Guanyu Zhou as reserve driver

Since Saber's announcement of his departure, Valtteri Bottas et Guanyu-Zhou At the end of last season, rumors were rife about the future of the Chinese player, who arrived in F1 early 2022. If his name was even mentioned on the Racing Bulls side before the arrival of Isack Hadjar, it was around Ferrari that most of the rumors seemed to be sending him.

The Scuderia ended the suspense this Thursday morning by announcing the arrival of Guanyu Zhou as reserve driver for the 2025 season. The Chinese will share this role with Antonio Giovinazzi, who has held the position since his departure fromAlfa Romeo in 2021, where he was replaced by… Guanyu Zhou.

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The Chinese driver went through the Ferrari Driver Academy between 2015 and 2018, before joining the pool of young drivers of Renault during his passage in Formula 2 in 2019. Third in the championship in his third season in 2021, he was recruited by Alfa Romeo/Sauber with whom he spent three seasons before losing his place.

“Back where it all began, thank you Ferrari for believing in me and I can’t wait to start this new chapter together!” Zhou rejoiced on his social networks.

Guanyu Zhou replaces Robert Shwartzman numerically as Scuderia Ferrari's reserve driver. The Russian-Israeli left the Italian team to join the Prema project in IndyCarLast year, Ferrari had three reserves with Antonio Giovinazzi, Robert Shwartzman and Oliver Bearman. In 2025, there will be only two.

Welcoming Zhou Guanyu back to the Ferrari family as he joins Antonio Giovinazzi as our official reserve driver! Zhou spent four years with the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018, and will split reserve driver duties with Antonio for the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/54OLL5uJm7

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 5, 2025