Sauber racer Zhou Guanyu says Ferrari is “actually ” in hiring him as a reserve driver, as he finds himself a free agent for the 2025 Method 1 season.
The longer term Audi group has determined to exchange each Zhou and his team-mate Valtteri Bottas, hiring veteran Nico Hulkenberg and F2 championship chief Gabriel Bortoleto to race the Swiss vehicles subsequent yr.
A Ferrari Driver Academy member from 2014-2018 earlier than he moved to the Alpine programme, Zhou says a return to Maranello as an F1 reserve driver is now on the playing cards.
“We’re speaking to a number of groups and, after all, Ferrari stays one of many groups actually fascinated about me,” the Chinese language racer mentioned.
“We have to see, clearly there’s a whole lot of issues arising with the subsequent few weekends for us to decide, however it’s clear we’re going by means of all of the choices we have now and seeing the place we’re.
“From my facet, I do not wish to decide to the longer term simply but as a result of I wish to be sure all the things is about down and is obvious, and have a large dedication to the subsequent venture.
“Hopefully one thing shall be occurring and determined quickly. I believe someplace across the subsequent few weeks I’ll have a transparent thought.”
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Workforce KICK Sauber C44, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Picture by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Pictures
The 2024 F1 season has been Zhou’s hardest but, with the Sauber driver failing to attain a degree – like Bottas – on the wheel of what has general been the slowest automobile within the discipline.
Though he has been usually outperformed by Bottas, Zhou was comprehensively extra aggressive in Las Vegas, the place he outqualified the Finn for only the third time in 27 sessions this year (dash qualifying included) and raced to thirteenth when his elder completed simply 18th.
Zhou explains he made the a lot of the C44’s new flooring and up to date diffuser on the high-speed avenue observe.
“I believe that is the perfect we have been shortly, for the reason that summer season,” he mentioned. “I am simply actually joyful the improve is working and the group’s given me a automobile [with which] I can lastly battle for what I do know [I’m capable of].
“The boldness is again, which is the primary subject I am extraordinarily proud of, and it has been a really constructive weekend when it comes to that. As we speak’s race was clear, and never lots occurring forward, so we will not actually [do] far more than the place we had been.
“It has been a little bit of a disappointing season, particularly the second half, not having the upgrades that we needed to have and at all times having the previous bundle.
“That compelled me again a bit of bit at what was an essential time for my future.
“However, in one other manner, I am very relieved and looking out ahead to the subsequent two races along with the subsequent chapter.”
