F1’s forgotten driver on the market? “Surprised Carlos Sainz waiting so long”

Carlos Sainz, Valtteri Bottas and Daniel Ricciardo are among the big-name F1 drivers with an uncertain 2025 - and Guanyu Zhou is growing frustrated as he tries to secure a seat.

Sauber driver Zhou is fighting to either keep his current drive or find new employments next season but the 2025 F1 driver line-up depends on others.

Notably, Sainz’s big decision - between Sauber, Williams and Alpine - will influence everybody else’s moves.

Zhou believes he has “more than one” option on the table, in response to a question at Silverstone from Crash.net.

But he admitted: “We’re all waiting for Carlos to make decisions, but we are continuing to speak to different teams to understand where I’m going.

“There’s some interest but then we need to understand a little bit more clearly the picture once he makes his decision.

“Then we can talk more into that because also the teams are waiting for him, obviously.

“It’s clear he is the priority on the market now but things remain open and at this point I still feel confident that I can have a chance somewhere.

“I’m surprised that he is waiting so long, Carlos. Honestly I feel it’s a bit difficult to understand just because it’s not that difficult to make a decision.

“You’re not really making a decision for a team maybe fighting for the world championship...

“You’re making a decision between a team that’s mid-runner and a team that depends on where you want to head off. I don’t know what he’s thinking but we’re just waiting for him.”

Zhou is not alone in awaiting Sainz to kick-off the domino effect in the driver market.

His teammate Bottas is among those looking up and down the paddock to remain on next year’s grid.

There will only be one Sauber seat available because they have signed Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg.

Zhou said about the market: “It’s not something I expected, especially with [Sainz’s] certain stance.

“I feel like he’s holding up everyone’s decision, but at some stage I don’t see just the drivers, I see the teams have some deadline at least. Because you can’t be just waiting for another until he makes his mind clear.

“So it’s weird or it’s strange in a way, obviously for me to experience that for the first time. Also for a lot of other drivers on the grid. But yeah, nothing we can do.

“We have to wait but then we just continue to talk, making open conversations with different teams so we can have the options if they’re available.”

Zhou insists that, unlike Sainz, he is ready to commit to whoever demands his signature immediately.

His preference for a longer-term commitment could also hold sway, if others attempt to sign one-year contracts.

“I think one thing that was clear is that I don’t feel any team will take the drivers just for an individual year anymore, just because they want the drivers to be there for two years in a row because the new rules [will change],” Zhou said.

“We are waiting to take a long term [contract] and it looks like all the teams want this.”

Sauber 'doesn't suit' Zhou driving style

Zhou and Bottas have not been blessed with hugely competitive machinery this season.

Sauber will remain in their current guise next year until a full evolution into Audi in 2026.

“It’s definitely been very tricky this season,” said Zhou whose best result this season was P11 in the opening grand prix.

“We made a massive concept change in the car, but then expect to be good. And then we face a lot of different issues.

“And I think the biggest topic for me is that for my driving style, it doesn’t really suit as good as the previous cars.

“Because I’m a lot more aggressive in terms of approach compared to my teammate. This year’s car is super sensitive with everything.

“So I just explain how I need to kind of underdrive a little bit in order to get better. But I don’t feel I’m able to push as hard as I could previously.

“That’s just settled back a little bit of pace, but we’re finding a way around it. And of course I’m trying to adapt and adjust my driving style.”