Zhou Guanyu has been confirmed as a Ferrari reserve driver for the 2025 Formula One season as backup to Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Guanyu, who left Sauber at the end of the 2024 campaign, returns to the Scuderia having been part of Ferrari's Driver Academy from 2014-2018. 

He left the academy seven years ago and joined the Renault Sport Academy the following year ahead of his move into Formula Two. 

Guanyu signed with Alfa Romeo in F1 for the 2022 season, partnering Valtteri Bottas, while also becoming the first Chinese driver to race in the competition.

The 25-year-old remained with the team until 2024, when the outfit transitioned to their Kick Sauber guise, scoring 16 points across 68 starts in that time. 

Guanyu will share his reserve driver duties with Antonio Giovinazzi at Ferrari, who are looking to build on their second-place finish in the constructors' championship last year. 

Giovinazzi will continue to race for Ferrari in the World Endurance Championship this year. He won the 2023 Le Mans 24 Hours event.

"Back to where it all started, thanks Ferrari for believing in me & can’t wait to start this new chapter together!", Guanyu said in an Instagram post on Wednesday. 

Welcoming Zhou Guanyu back to the Ferrari family as he joins Antonio Giovinazzi as our official reserve driver! Zhou spent four years with the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018, and will split reserve driver duties with Antonio for the 2025 season pic.twitter.com/54OLL5uJm7

— Scuderia Ferrari HP (@ScuderiaFerrari) February 5, 2025