Zhou Guanyu has opened up concerning the psychological challenges of stepping right into a reserve driver function after racing in Method 1.
The Chinese language driver has signed with Cadillac for the 2026 season as a reserve driver after a stint in the identical function with Ferrari in 2025. Zhou made his F1 debut in 2022 with Alfa Romeo/Sauber alongside Valtteri Bottas, who is about to drive for Cadillac in 2026. However after his three-year contract with the Swiss-based staff got here to an finish, Zhou discovered himself left and not using a seat for 2025, main him to take a reserve driver function with Ferrari.
“It is difficult by way of the psychological facet, simply since you’re watching all of the folks which might be racing, and a few of them you’ve battled with otherwise you’ve crushed them all through the years,” Zhou informed F1.com after the announcement of his signing with Cadillac.
“You wish to be there, and you’re feeling such as you need to be on the grid preventing with them collectively. In order that’s in all probability the onerous facet, on the psychological facet, and whenever you’re simply watching the race.”
Zhou was capable of finding the positives of the reserve driver function, because it confirmed him a “clearer image of how it’s best to develop”.
“Then on the opposite facet, I do not really feel it is such a foul place, as a result of whereas I used to be in a position to take a step down from a race seat over the 2025 season, I actually felt the stuff I wasn’t on the highest efficiency degree of, the stuff I might do otherwise if I am going again on the grid once more sooner or later,” he added.
“While you’re outdoors, you’ll be able to simply see a clearer image of how it’s best to develop, since you study from each side of the storage. Particularly during the last 12 months, I used to be in a position to be round two of the highest drivers on the grid, to see what they’re doing, and after they battle or what they do effectively, what they’ve completed otherwise, how they adapt, react.
Zhou Guanyu, Ferrari
Picture by: Erik Junius
“All this stuff I am considering, and I really feel prefer it made me a greater driver already. I am simply trying ahead for the season coming collectively, however then additionally hopefully my final objective is to be again on the grid, again behind the wheel, racing full-time.”
Whereas he’s specializing in the upcoming months together with his new staff, Zhou admitted that his final objective is to return to a full-time racing seat within the championship.
“I believe usually it is not one thing I’ll take into consideration each single week or month-to-month. When you are at first of the season, you might be simply targeted on the dedication you’ve, and my present dedication is with the fully new journey with the Cadillac F1 staff.
“For me, I believe the final word objective is to be again on the grid, and that is the goal. However in phrases to realize the goal, generally you want a little bit of a ready sport. It’s worthwhile to present the staff what you are able to do over the course of the weeks, months, placing the hassle in, and generally the chance seems, so I am not absolutely speeding on that.
“Proper now, I am truly trying ahead to the following few weeks, few months, earlier than the season.
“Usually the interval [for thinking about the future] is a few weeks earlier than the summer time shutdown. That is the place you must begin speaking concerning the future, so proper now I am simply making an attempt to take my [focus] into the staff after which attempt to construct on that.”
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