Sauber racer Zhou Guanyu says Ferrari is “actually ” in hiring him as a reserve driver, being a free agent for the 2025 Method 1 season.
The longer term Audi group has determined to switch 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 to 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, in fact, Ferrari stays one of many groups actually taken with me,” the Chinese language racer mentioned.
“We have to see, clearly there’s lots of issues developing with the following few weekends for us to decide, however it’s clear we’re going via all of the choices we now have and seeing the place we’re.
“From my aspect, I do not wish to decide to the longer term simply but as a result of I wish to be certain every thing is about down and is obvious, and have a large dedication to the following undertaking.
“Hopefully one thing shall be taking place 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
Photograph by: Andrew Ferraro / Motorsport Photographs
2024 has been Zhou’s hardest F1 season by far, with the Sauber driver failing to attain factors – like Bottas – on the wheel of what has total been the slowest automotive within the subject.
Though he has been typically outperformed by Bottas, Zhou was comprehensively extra aggressive in Las Vegas, the place he outqualified the Finn for the third time in 27 classes this yr (dash qualifying included) and raced to thirteenth when his elder completed simply 18th.
Zhou explains he made the many of the C44’s new flooring and up to date diffuser on the high-speed road observe.
“I believe that is the most effective we have been shortly, for the reason that summer time,” he mentioned. “I am simply actually glad the improve is working and the group’s given me a automotive [with which] I can lastly combat for what I do know [I’m capable of].
“The boldness is again, which is the principle subject I am extraordinarily pleased with, and it has been a really constructive weekend when it comes to that. At this time’s race was clear, and never so much taking place forward, so we will not actually [do] far more than the place we have been.
“It has been a little bit of a disappointing season, particularly the second half, not having the upgrades that we wished to have and all the time having the previous bundle,” Zhou admitted. “That pressured me again a little bit bit at what was an necessary time for my future.
“However, in one other manner, I am very relieved and searching ahead to the following two races along with the following chapter.”
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