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Zhou Guanyu’s Gamble: Is Becoming Ferrari’s Backup Driver a Brilliant Move or a Career Dead End?

Carl Harrison by Carl Harrison
February 15, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 5 mins read
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Zhou Guanyu’s Gamble: Is Becoming Ferrari’s Backup Driver a Brilliant Move or a Career Dead End?

After being dropped by Sauber, Zhou Guanyu has landed a reserve role at Ferrari, keeping him within arm’s reach of the F1 paddock—but is this a strategic masterstroke or a one-way ticket to obscurity?

For Zhou, the move represents a homecoming of sorts, having once been a rising star in the Scuderia Ferrari Driver Academy from 2015 to 2018. And with China boasting an F1 fanbase of over 150 million, keeping a Chinese driver connected to the sport is undoubtedly a win for Formula 1 itself.

But let’s be clear—Zhou isn’t Ferrari’s first choice as a stand-in. That title belongs to Antonio Giovinazzi, the veteran Italian driver who has been embedded within the team’s structure for years. And with Lewis Hamilton set to join Charles Leclerc in 2025, it’s not like a sudden vacancy is looming anytime soon.

So the big question is: Has Zhou made the right call sticking around as a reserve, or would he be better off chasing a championship elsewhere?


The Harsh Reality of Being a Reserve: Hope or False Promise?

Formula 1 history is filled with “nearly men”—talented drivers who hovered around the paddock but never got that golden opportunity. Just ask Felipe Drugovich or Théo Pourchaire, both of whom have waited in the wings only to see their F1 dreams stall indefinitely.

Sure, some third drivers have made a successful return, but for every Robert Kubica or Daniel Ricciardo, there are countless others whose F1 careers died on the reserve bench.

If Zhou is hoping that being Ferrari’s backup will guarantee him another shot, he’s playing a dangerous game. Even Ricciardo’s comeback at AlphaTauri last season was far from the fairytale return he envisioned.


Could Zhou Follow the Path of F1’s Great Escape Artists?

On the flip side, history has also shown that venturing outside of F1 can be a launchpad, not a graveyard.

  • Jean-Eric Vergne & Sebastien Buemi went from Red Bull rejects to Formula E champions.
  • Heikki Kovalainen rebuilt his career in Super Formula & Japanese Rally.
  • Antonio Giovinazzi helped Ferrari clinch victory at Le Mans.
  • Even legends like Kimi Räikkönen and Nigel Mansell found success in WRC and IndyCar, proving that stepping away from F1 isn’t necessarily a career death sentence.

With Mick Schumacher now racing in WEC, Zhou has a clear example of an ex-F1 driver carving out a new, successful motorsport career.


The Bottas Lesson: Staying in F1 Can Also Hurt Your Legacy

On the flip side, sticking around in F1 at the wrong time can be even worse. Just look at Valtteri Bottas.

After leaving Mercedes—where he was a race-winning contender—he joined Sauber (now Stake F1) in 2022. Three seasons later? Both Bottas and Zhou are out of full-time drives.

Zhou now risks falling into the same trap: becoming a forgettable figure rather than a driver actively competing and proving his worth elsewhere.


Why Zhou’s Ferrari Move Could Still Pay Off

While the risks are clear, there is some logic to Zhou’s decision:

  1. Recent rookies have proven that reserves can get real shots.
    • Oliver Bearman, Jack Doohan, and Liam Lawson all impressed as stand-ins and will race full-time in 2025.
    • If Zhou gets even a single chance to sub in for Hamilton or Leclerc, he could force Ferrari—and the rest of the paddock—to reconsider him.
  2. Being at Ferrari keeps him in the F1 conversation.
    • Out of sight, out of mind is a real thing in F1. By staying visible with Ferrari, Zhou remains a known entity for 2026.
  3. A struggling debutant could open the door.
    • If a new signing flops at another team, Ferrari’s connections could help Zhou land a surprise return.

Verdict: Smart Move or Career Killer?

Zhou Guanyu’s decision to sit on the Ferrari bench rather than seek a full-time seat in another series is a high-stakes gamble. If he gets a chance to prove himself—even in a single substitute race—it could keep his F1 dream alive.

But if that moment never comes? He risks fading into the long list of forgotten reserves.

Zhou has bet on patience over action. Now, it’s just a waiting game to see if that bet will pay off—or if he’ll end up following the long list of ex-F1 drivers forced to rebuild their careers elsewhere.

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