Ferrari issues farewell message as reserve driver departs
Zhou Guanyu joined Ferrari as reserve driver after leaving Sauber.
Ferrari has issued a public thank you message to reserve driver Zhou Guanyu, as he departs the Scuderia ahead of the F1 2026 season.
The former Sauber driver shared the role with Antonio Giovinazzi, the Italian having formed part of Ferrari’s line-up in the World Endurance Championship.
Ferrari says ‘grazie mille’ as Zhou Guanyu departs
After departing Sauber at the end of 2024, Zhou made a return to the Scuderia, where he had been a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy on his way through the junior categories.
The Chinese driver had held ambitions to return to the grid in 2026, potentially as a candidate for Cadillac, before the seats were awarded to Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Zhou, 26, shared Ferrari’s ‘thank you’ post on social media to his Instagram story, to which he replied: “Really appreciated for all the trust throughout the season, see you guys around in 2026! ✌🏼 @scuderiaferrari”
Zhou revealed in an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com in October that he has been talking to teams in the paddock in the hope of securing a return to the grid in future, acknowledging the importance of the 2026 season as a potential avenue to do so.
“I think it’s important just to stay in the paddock, but let more people understand the driver you are,” he explained, “because sometimes when you obviously stay in the same team for three years, coming straight from F2, probably only the people working with you understand how you are, but then you need to kind of let the whole paddock understand, to give you a big opportunity.
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“That’s what I’m here for. I still feel like there are opportunities.
“We’re speaking to people, and we’re trying to understand what are the opportunities. I’m focused on the role I’m doing with Ferrari, but then it’s just to let other people understand the door is always open when they need me, and that’s it.
“Obviously, I think this year or next year are the big two years, especially next year, when there’s new regulation changes. But then there are a lot of drivers that will be a question mark for their future as well. So that’s where I think the opportunities will come.”
Ferrari announces F1 Academy driver departure
Separately, Ferrari confirmed one of its Driver Academy members, Aurelia Nobels, will leave the programme ahead of the 2026 season.
The 18-year-old has competed in F1 Academy for the past two seasons, securing a podium in that time as she raced for ART Grand Prix, which holds a partnership with Ferrari in the all-female series.
She wrote on Instagram after the news was announced: “Today I am closing an important chapter and beginning an exciting one after 3 unforgettable years.
“I’m incredibly grateful for everything I learned not only as a driver, but as a person.
“Moving to Italy on my own at just 15/16 years old, being the youngest in the program at such a young age was a bold challenge, but it allowed me turning a childhood dream into reality and that experience shaped me in ways I’ll carry forever.
“This wasn’t an easy decision, but after a lot of thought, it felt like the right moment to embrace new opportunities ahead.”
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