Sauber racer Zhou Guanyu says Ferrari is “actually ” in hiring him as a reserve driver, being a free agent for the 2025 System 1 season.
The longer term Audi crew 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 12 months.
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, after all, Ferrari stays one of many groups actually eager about me,” the Chinese language racer mentioned.
“We have to see, clearly there’s plenty of issues arising with the subsequent few weekends for us to decide, nevertheless it’s clear we’re going via all of the choices now we have and seeing the place we’re.
“From my aspect, I do not wish to decide to the long run simply but as a result of I wish to make sure that every thing is about down and is evident, and have an enormous dedication to the subsequent challenge.
“Hopefully one thing will probably be occurring and determined quickly. I believe someplace across the subsequent few weeks I’ll have a transparent concept.”
Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Workforce KICK Sauber C44, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24
Picture 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 automobile within the area.
Though he has been usually outperformed by Bottas, Zhou was comprehensively extra aggressive in Las Vegas, the place he outqualified the Finn for the third time in 27 periods this 12 months (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 avenue monitor.
“I believe that is the most effective we have been shortly, because the summer time,” he mentioned. “I am simply actually pleased the improve is working and the crew’s given me a automobile [with which] I can lastly combat for what I do know [I’m capable of].
“The arrogance is again, which is the primary matter I am extraordinarily pleased with, and it has been a really constructive weekend by way of that. At present’s race was clear, and never lots occurring forward, so we will not actually [do] way 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 needed to have and all the time having the previous package deal,” Zhou admitted. “That compelled me again slightly bit at what was an essential time for my future.
“However, in one other method, I am very relieved and searching ahead to the subsequent two races along with the subsequent chapter.”
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