Chinese F1 driver could join Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at Ferrari next season - Reports

Zhou Guanyu is reported to be an option for Ferrari's reserve driver role in the upcoming season after the end of his first F1 stint with Sauber. The Swiss team recently announced that he would be leaving at the end of the current season.

Guanyu debuted in 2022 with Sauber (then called Alfa Romeo). Although he was considered to be a strong driver given his experience, his form with the team remained inconsistent over the course of two seasons. Three races remain in the current season, and he has scored no points, along with his teammate Valtteri Bottas.

Sauber announced earlier this month that both the drivers will not be continuing with the team, and signed Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg instead. While Bottas has had a fruitful career racing in F1, Zhou has spent just three seasons and is not planning to move to a different racing series.

However, there still might be a chance for the Chinese driver to stick around in F1. According to recent reports, he is close to signing a deal with Ferrari to join the team as its reserve driver. It would give him a chance to stay close to the team's workings and look for any oncoming opportunities with other teams.

As Lewis Hamilton prepares to join Ferrari alongside Charles Leclerc in the 2025 season, Zhou Guanyu's addition as a reserve driver could prove to be resourceful for the team.

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Charles Leclerc prepared to take on the challenge to Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari next season

Ferrari signed the 39-year-old prior to the start of the current season. Hamilton used the exit clause in his 1+1 year contract with Mercedes to make the deal possible. He will replace Carlos Sainz, partnering with Charles Leclerc.

The Monegasque, who has been racing with the team since 2019, considers Lewis Hamilton's signing a positive challenge for him. He stated that it would also be a learning opportunity for him.

"Looking ahead, Lewis is obviously a seven-time world champion, the most successful Formula 1 driver of all time," Charles Leclerc said on the *Box Box Box* podcast. "So it will be a great challenge for me, but I'm looking forward to it. On one hand, I'll be able to learn from Lewis in the same car, which is fantastic. But I'll also have the chance to prove what I'm capable of in the same car as Lewis. That's a huge motivation for me."

Ferrari has improved over the course of the current season. The team stands in second place in the constructors' standings behind McLaren.