In a recent interview, Zhou Guanyu shared how he discovered the news of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari for the 2025 Formula 1 season before it was officially confirmed by the team. The announcement came after Hamilton’s decision to part ways with Penni Throw and her management company Copper, opting instead to join forces with his long-time friend Marc Hynes. Hynes, who is also involved in Zhou’s career, prompted the Chinese driver to reach out to his manager to confirm the rumors surrounding Hamilton’s future.
Zhou explained, “I didn’t pay much attention to the reaction in China when the news about Hamilton broke, but I imagine that most people didn’t believe it. However, I had already been in contact with Marc, who is Hamilton’s manager along with me. I texted him before the announcement, so I knew it was true. I didn’t share this information with anyone, but I was genuinely surprised by the news. I can only imagine how shocked the people at Mercedes must have been. As a driver, especially someone like Lewis, I think he sees himself retiring as a Ferrari driver. It’s a dream come true for him, and I don’t blame him for feeling that way.”
Hamilton had initially seemed destined to end his F1 career with Mercedes, having signed a two-year extension with the team in August. However, his departure revealed the presence of escape clauses in his contract that allowed him to negotiate a multi-year deal with Ferrari starting in 2025. Zhou commented, “It’s very unexpected. I never thought Lewis would retire as a Ferrari driver. People aspire to retire with Ferrari, especially World Champions. But he announced it at the beginning of this season, which means he still has another season with his current team. It’s definitely a shock, but it’s also exciting for us to see how many changes are happening in other teams.”
Zhou made these remarks during a launch event in London, where Sauber unveiled its new livery for the 2024 season. The team will now be known as the “Stake F1 Team” for the next two years, reflecting its new title sponsor. This comes ahead of Sauber’s planned transition into a works Audi entry in 2026.
