Zhou Guanyu named Ferrari's reserve driver for the 2025 season

Dominika Jordan
Feb 5, 2025, 05:59 AM ET

Zhou Guanyu joins Ferrari as reserve driver for the 2025 season, backing up Hamilton and Leclerc.

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

Zhou Guanyu has been named Ferrari's reserve driver for the 2025 Formula 1 season after departing from Sauber at the end of the previous year.

Zhou, who was part of Ferrari's Driver Academy earlier in his career, will join Antonio Giovinazzi as one of the team's back-up drivers. This move marks a return to the Ferrari fold for Zhou, who previously raced full-time with Sauber for three seasons.

In a strategic move for the upcoming 2025 Formula 1 season, Ferrari has officially announced that Zhou Guanyu will serve as one of its reserve drivers, sharing the role with Antonio Giovinazzi. This development positions Zhou and Giovinazzi as the primary backups for Ferrari's main drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, ensuring the team remains competitive even in the face of unforeseen circumstances.

Zhou joins Ferrari after a notable three-year stint with Sauber, where he made history as the first Chinese driver in Formula 1 back in 2022. His place on the grid was relinquished when Sauber, gearing up to become the Audi F1 team in 2026, opted for a fresh driver lineup featuring Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto for the 2025 season.

This new appointment for Zhou can be seen as a return to familiar turf, as he was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018. Ferrari’s press release aptly describes his latest signing as "something of a homecoming," highlighting the endurance of his relationship with the renowned racing team.

In the 2024 season, the role of Ferrari's reserve driver was filled by Oliver Bearman. The British driver stepped up admirably when Carlos Sainz suffered from appendicitis in Saudi Arabia. Bearman, however, will now transition to a full-time race seat at Haas for 2025, making way for Zhou.

Antonio Giovinazzi, a seasoned Ferrari reserve driver, continues to maintain his position within the team. He has held this role since being replaced by Zhou at Sauber (then known as Alfa Romeo) in 2022. In addition to his reserve duties in F1, Giovinazzi will also compete for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship, showcasing his versatile driving skills.

Ferrari's decision to integrate Zhou and retain Giovinazzi as reserve drivers demonstrates a strong strategic vision, combining experience and potential. As the team looks ahead to the 2025 season, the inclusion of these adept drivers as part of their lineup ensures that Ferrari is well-prepared to tackle any challenges and maintain its illustrious legacy in the world of Formula 1 racing.