Sauber continue to evaluate their driver shortlist for 2025, with Valtteri Bottas and Gabriel Bortoleto currently the leading candidates. Meanwhile, despite spending three seasons with the team, Zhou Guanyu is unlikely to earn a contract extension. With his options for a full-time seat diminishing, the 25-year-old will search for alternatives in the F1 paddock.
Zhou likely to consider a reserve role to stay activein the F1 paddock
Throughout the season, Zhou Guanyu has been consistent in stating that F1 is his one and only priority. At the beginning of the year, when some rumours linked him to a few teams on the grid, it seemed possible he could earn a 2025 contract.
However, the situation has changed for the Chinese driver. Teams that he was an outside contender to join (like Haas and Alpine) have completed their driver line-ups for next season, leaving only Sauber as a realistic destination.
Of course, as made clear over recent weeks, Zhou is not a leading candidate to stay at the Swiss team in 2025.
Speaking to Crash.net in Monza, Zhou made clear that he “could accept the fact” Bottas is more likely to continue with the team next year.
He also explained that staying in F1, regardless of what capacity, is the priority:
“At the moment, I don’t want to be in other series yet.
“Because I feel like I’m still in a period that if I can stay in F1, or making a comeback if I don’t have a seat, there will still be chances to show what I’ve got.”
Reserve driver role is a plausible next step
Although Zhou could quite easily join another elite motorsport category, he is not interested in racing anywhere else beyond F1.
Of course, when a driver loses their F1 seat, finding a way back into a full-time role is difficult. With that said, landing a reserve driver contract is a useful way of being active in the paddock and ready for any potential opportunities.
Jack Doohan received some criticism when he first agreed to become Alpine’s reserve driver, but he eventually earned a full-time contract for 2025.
Therefore, it would not be a surprise to see Zhou remain active in the paddock next season.
