China’s Zhou Guanyu is to be one of two Ferrari reserve drivers in 2025.

The 25-year-old, who was dropped by Sauber at the end of last season after three years with the Swiss team, joins Italian Antonio Giovinazzi.

Zhou, who was a member of the Ferrari driver academy from 2015 to 2018, will support race drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc.

Reserve drivers typically do simulator work to assist the race team, including over race weekends as teams work to perfect their car set-up, and perform selected testing duties, including tyre tests.

This week, though, Ferrari are using Hamilton and Leclerc to conduct a tyre test for Pirelli on 4 and 5 February at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. McLaren are also at the test, with Lando Norris driving on Tuesday.

The test is a further opportunity for Hamilton to continue his familiarisation work with his new team, after crashing during a test in the 2023 car last week.

Both teams are assisting Pirelli with development work on its 2026 tyres, and Ferrari are using a 2024 car modified to simulate expected performance levels following the introduction of new engine and chassis rules next year.

On Tuesday, Hamilton competed 87 laps, Leclerc 86 and Norris, in a modified 2023 car, 159. Norris was fastest, followed by Hamilton and Leclerc. Headline lap times are irrelevant because the drivers were completing different programmes.

Zhou scored 16 points for Sauber in 68 grands prix for the team.

Giovinazzi has been part of the Ferrari driver roster since 2017 and raced for Alfa Romeo from 2019-21, scoring 21 points in 62 starts.