Ferrari has history of looking to recent F1 drivers to support its race team line-up, having worked with Giovinazzi — the driver Zhou replaced at Sauber in 2022 — in recent years. The team announced last year that one of its reserves, Robert Shwartzman, would not be returning in 2025 after his move into IndyCar.

Ferrari appointed Zhou Guanyu as a Formula One reserve driver on Wednesday after the Chinese lost his race seat with Swiss-based Sauber.

Ferrari announced their reserve drivers for the upcoming season on Wednesday, pairing current reserve Antonio Giovinazzi with Zhou. This is a homecoming for Zhou, who was a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018 while competing in the F4 and F3 ranks.

The first Chinese driver in Formula 1, Zhou Guanyu, is heading back to Ferrari as one of its reserve drivers for the 2025 season. Zhou doesn't have a race seat for 2025 after leaving Sauber at the end of last year but could step in if Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton can't race.

Zhou, who previously raced as part of the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 until 2018, found himself out of a full-time race seat at the end of the 2024 season after Sauber opted to drop both him and Valtteri Bottas in favour of a brand new lineup.

Zhou Guanyu confirmed as Ferrari driver for 2025 F1 season - Ferrari have added to their ranks ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s debut in scarlet red in Australia next month

Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu joined Ferrari as a reserve driver, the Formula 1 team announced on Wednesday. Zhou, who spent four years in the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018, will now split reserve driver duties with Antonio Giovinazzi for the 2025 season.

Ferrari appointed Zhou Guanyu as a Formula One reserve driver on Wednesday after the Chinese lost his race seat with Swiss-based Sauber. The 25-year-old, previously a member of the Ferrari

China's Zhou Guanyu is to be one of two Ferrari reserve drivers in 2025. The 25-year-old, who was dropped by Sauber at the end of last season after three years with the Swiss team, joins Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.