F1 team boss blocked Alfa Romeo approach for 36-year-old to replace Zhou Guanyu

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Haas team principal, Guenther Steiner, blocked an approach from Alfa Romeo to have Nico Hulkenberg replace Zhou Guanyu drive for Sauber in the 2024 Formula 1 season.

That is according to Blick, which reports that Sauber considered a return to the Hinwil-based outfit for Hulkenberg. But Steiner refused to see the 36-year-old leave Haas given his strong campaign with the American-owned squad. So, Zhou retained his seat beside Valtteri Bottas.

Alfa Romeo will return to the Sauber name from the 2024 Formula 1 season after ending the naming rights deal. The team and the Italian car manufacturer agreed to a multi-year deal in 2019. But they will part ways after this year following Audi buying Sauber to join F1 in 2026.

Hulkenberg impressed Alfa Romeo after returning to F1 with Haas

Hulkenberg drove for Sauber in the 2013 Formula 1 season and finished 10th in the driver’s standings. The German left Force India to race for the Switzerland natives alongside Esteban Gutierrez. But he only stayed for one season before returning to Force India for three years.

A move to Renault followed for Hulkenberg in 2017. But he lost his seat on the grid after the 2019 season. Instead, the 2015 Le Mans 24 Hours race winner with Porsche had to settle for a reserve gig. He drove three Grand Prix for Racing Point and a further two for Aston Martin.

Yet despite spending three years on the sidelines, Steiner brought Hulkenberg back to a full-time F1 drive for Haas. He replaced Mick Schumacher at the team and would hit the ground running. Hulkenberg qualified 10th at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix back in March.

Hulkenberg has continued to deliver impressive performances, particularly in qualifying. The Emmerich native leads teammate Kevin Magnussen 11-four in their head-to-head battle. He even claimed P2 on the grid for the Canadian GP and has scored nine of Haas’ 12 points yet.

Sauber argued about retaining both, Zhou and Bottas, for 2024

Zhou and Bottas have scored four and six points for Alfa Romeo respectively so far this year. Sauber have also confirmed that both drivers will retain their seats in 2024. Only Bottas had a contract for next season before the announcement, with Zhou driving with one-year deals.

Yet some Sauber chiefs disagreed about continuing with the same driver line-up for a third-straight season. There were several heated arguments at Hinwil about retaining Zhou beside Bottas. Some feel they have become ‘too harmonious’ and do not push each other enough.

A few within Sauber even suggested replacing both, Bottas and Zhou. But kicking Bottas out would have been too expensive. So, Sauber only explored replacing Zhou and wanted to lure Hulkenberg from Haas. But Steiner said no and Haas gave Hulkenberg a new deal in August.

Attentions at Sauber then turned to the 2022 Formula 2 champion, Felipe Drugovich, as an alternative option to replace Zhou. But the Brazilian – who is currently Aston Martin’s reserve driver – did not generate enough support and, potentially, also lacked the budget required.

So, Sauber elected to retain Zhou on another one-year contract for the 2024 F1 season with Bottas. The 24-year-old celebrated his new terms with a 12th-place drive at the Singapore Grand Prix. Hulkenberg finished P13, 2.25 seconds from the first and only Chinese F1 driver.