Zhou Guanyu is reportedly set to secure a surprise new role in Formula One after being axed by Sauber following a three-year spell with the team.

The 25-year-old is being lined up for a shock deal with Ferrari that would see him become the team’s third driver behind Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, according to reports in Italy.

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera report that the Prancing Horse are ‘expecting’ to seal an agreement for Zhou to become their reserve driver.

The role has been left vacant after Oliver Bearman was hired by Haas to fill the seat left by Kevin Magnussen. Ferrari’s other alternative for 2024, Robert Shwartzman, has joined the Indycar in the USA and won’t be available on F1 weekends.

With Bearman and Shwartzman taking on new roles, the Scuderia would be left with only Arthur Leclerc – the younger sibling of Ferrari star Leclerc – as an F1 development driver. But with his relative inexperience, team principal Fred Vasseur is set to hand Zhou a lifeline.

Vasseur hired Zhou when he was Alfa Romeo boss in 2022 and has a high opinion of the Shanghai-born star, who has amassed 12 points in 65 race starts since his debut in 2022.

Zhou’s anticipated departure from the Swiss team was finally confirmed in November as they commence their plans to become an Audi works team in time for the 2026 engine regulations.

Sauber confirmed Brazilian starlet Gabriel Bortoleto, 21, will join the team to partner Nico Hulkenberg next year after agreeing a deal with his parent team McLaren.

With the majority of the seats on the grid already decided, it appeared that Zhou would be forced to look elsewhere to continue his motor racing career. But the Chinese driver now looks set to remain in F1 for 2025 at least.

Along with team-mate Valtteri Bottas, Zhou is one of three drivers yet to score a single point this season – with ex-Williams racer Logan Sargeant also stuck on zero following his departure in September.

He is hoping to change that in his final three races as the teams head to Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi for the final triple header of the season.

“I will leave the team at the end of the season, but I am fully committed to finishing the season in style,” Zhou said in a statement confirming his exit.

“I am grateful to the team for giving me a chance in Formula One: this is not an easy sport for rookies, but the team has allowed me to grow so much over these three years.”