‘Remarkable’ Formula 1 driver confirms talks with rival teams to seal 2025 move

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The 2025 Formula 1 grid is almost full already with most teams locking down their line-ups early, but one driver has confirmed talks with ‘a few’ teams over a possible move.

McLaren entered 2024 as the one team with a driver line-up locked up for more than just this year. Now, though, only Mercedes, Alpine, Visa Cash App RB and Sauber have vacancies for next season. But some doubts remain about if Red Bull will honour Sergio Perez’s deal still.

Mercedes have been searching for Lewis Hamilton’s replacement since Ferrari signed him to a multi-year contract in February. Alpine also created a space this June when deciding to let Esteban Ocon leave, while Daniel Ricciardo is out of contract for RB like both Sauber drivers.

Sauber star Zhou Guanyu confirms talks with ‘a few’ teams for 2025

Audi has already got its feet under the table at Sauber ahead of taking the team over fully in 2026, after gifting Nico Hulkenberg a multi-year contract from 2025. But his arrival in Hinwil, Switzerland from Haas will leave Valtteri Bottas and/or Zhou Guanyu without a seat in 2025.

Both, Bottas and Zhou, are approaching the end of their contracts with Sauber and 2024 has not been a great season for the latter. Zhou has not scored a point since taking ninth place in the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix and Bottas has out-qualified him 13 times over 14 races in 2024.

READ MORE: Sauber driver Zhou Guanyu’s life outside F1 from height to net worth

But Zhou is still fighting for his future in Formula 1 and is working with Graeme Lowdon, part of the 25-year-old’s management team, about securing a drive on the 2025 grid. He has also told RacingNews365 that the former Marussia CEO is helping him to improve on the circuit.

Zhou said: “Graeme and me are working hard on myself on track to show what I am capable of doing that, and himself looking at the few options still available on the table.”

Zhou Guanyu is looking at Sauber or Alpine for a 2025 Formula 1 seat

Sauber gave Zhou his debut in Formula 1 whilst running as Alfa Romeo in 2022 after striking a deal to prise him from Alpine’s academy. The Chinese star scored points on his debut, too, with P10 in the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix. But he only has six top-10 finishes in his career yet.

READ MORE: F1 2025 driver line-up with every team’s confirmed entry for the grid

Zhou’s best result so far this season remains his P11 at the season-opener in Bahrain. Bottas has also failed to score a point in 2024 with Sauber the only point-less team. Yet, despite his struggles, Zhou does have options to secure a seat on the 2025 grid should he leave Sauber.

One option might see Zhou leave Sauber for Alpine in 2025 as the Enstone outfit are open to his return. The funding Zhou, who Frederic Vasseur has called ‘remarkable’, offers as the first full-time Chinese Formula 1 driver would help Alpine to afford to buy Mercedes power units.

Joining Alpine or Audi deciding to keep him at Sauber are likely Zhou’s only realistic options, however. Mercedes are all-in on Andrea Kimi Antonelli if Max Verstappen decides to stay at Red Bull, who have Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar eying Ricciardo’s Visa Cash App RB drive.