Gabriel Bortoleto steps up to Formula 1 after back-to-back titles in Formula 3 and Formula 2, both achieved as a rookie. Bortoleto, part of Fernando Alonso’s A14 Management stable, was a McLaren young driver but was released from the team in order to join Sauber.

Ferrari has history of looking to recent F1 drivers to support its race team line-up, having worked with Giovinazzi — the driver Zhou replaced at Sauber in 2022 — in recent years. The team announced last year that one of its reserves, Robert Shwartzman, would not be returning in 2025 after his move into IndyCar.

Ferrari appointed Zhou Guanyu as a Formula One reserve driver on Wednesday after the Chinese lost his race seat with Swiss-based Sauber.

The first Chinese driver in Formula 1 is heading back to Ferrari as one of its reserve drivers for the 2025 season

Zhou Guanyu lost his seat at Sauber following the 2024 Formula 1 season, as the team added Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto as their drivers for the 2025 season and beyond. But the Chinese driver will still be in the paddock this upcoming season.