Ferrari have officially confirmed the end of their relationship with Guanyu Zhou, announcing via social media that the Chinese driver will no longer serve as the team’s reserve driver. After spending the 2025 Formula 1 season in a support role with the Prancing Horse, Zhou is now free to explore new opportunities, as he is no longer part of Ferrari’s plans for the 2026 campaign.
The Scuderia bid farewell to Guanyu Zhou with a post published on its official social media channels. The Shanghai-born driver, who acted as Ferrari’s third driver during the 2025 championship, has been released following a season in which he hoped to rebuild his career after losing his race seat at Sauber at the end of 2024.
Zhou joined Ferrari last year as a reserve driver alongside Antonio Giovinazzi for the 2025 season. His return to Maranello marked a continuation of a long-standing relationship, as the Chinese racer had previously been part of the Ferrari Driver Academy between 2014 and 2018, maintaining close ties with the Italian team even after moving on to other programmes.
“Grateful for the commitment and contribution of Guanyu Zhou as Ferrari’s reserve driver this season. We wish him all the best for the future,” read the message published by Ferrari on their official social media accounts.
The 26-year-old had believed that a year on the sidelines with Ferrari would help him secure a full-time drive again in 2026. At one stage, a potential destination appeared to be Cadillac, with Ferrari set to supply power units to the American outfit, which will join the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team. However, Cadillac ultimately opted for two highly experienced drivers, Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, closing the door on Zhou’s return to the F1 grid.
With the Formula 1 grid now complete, Zhou is forced to look beyond the championship for a race seat. At one point, his name was linked to a possible drive in the World Endurance Championship, where AF Corse fields a third Ferrari 499P. However, Robert Kubica is widely expected to renew his deal in the yellow-liveried car, leaving no available space within Ferrari’s current endurance racing plans. Ferrari’s head of endurance, Antonello Coletta, is keen to retain the three driver line-ups that delivered both the drivers’ and teams’ titles.
Guanyu Zhou has yet to announce where he will continue his racing career, but the Chinese driver appears determined to secure a role that allows him to compete regularly. His priority is to find a full-time racing programme, rather than being limited to simulator duties and occasional testing work, as he looks to relaunch his career away from Formula 1.
Leave a Reply