While the Maranello team was preparing for a major event in Milan with official drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, who performed demo runs in the Italian capital with the SF-21 and SF-90, another Ferrari was running a few hundred kilometers away—the SF-23.
At Fiorano, Ferrari conducted a TPC test session with Zhou Guanyu and Antonio Fuoco. For Zhou, this marked his first laps in a Ferrari single-seater since his return to the team.
As permitted by regulations, which allow teams to run cars that are at least two seasons old, Ferrari chose to use the SF-23—the same car Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc drove during their TPC tests in January at Fiorano and Barcelona.
Starting this year, the rules allow for a maximum of 20 TPC test days, limiting the number of sessions each team can conduct. Additionally, new regulations stipulate that official drivers can complete no more than 1,000 kilometers across four test days, while the remaining sessions can be used by reserve drivers or those dedicated to simulator work.
For Guanyu Zhou, who was part of the Ferrari Driver Academy from 2014 to 2018 before taking a different path, this test provided an opportunity to gain valuable mileage ahead of his simulator duties. Having competed in Formula 1 for three seasons with Sauber, including his most recent campaign last year, Zhou Guanyu offers Ferrari an experienced driver familiar with ground-effect cars. Meanwhile, for Guanyu Zhou, this role allows him to stay connected to the F1 paddock, which he chose not to leave despite offers from other racing categories.
Antonio Fuoco also participated in the session. The Italian driver remains a key figure in Ferrari’s F1 simulator program due to his skill and experience, balancing these duties with his racing commitments in the Hypercar 499P in the WEC. He recently claimed a remarkable victory in the season-opening race in Qatar.
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