F1 Rumour: Zhou Guanyu's Alfa Romeo Contract Up In The Air Amid Budget Concerns

It has been reported that Zhou Guanyu's contract with Alfa Romeo may not be extended at the end of the 2023 season.

Alfa Romeo F1 driver Zhou Guanyu is nearing the end of his contract, and while he has shown consistent performance, it has been reported that the team might not renew his deal due to budgetary concerns. 

Alfa Romeo's impending exit post the 2023 season will transform Sauber into a standalone team with limited financial backing from Audi until 2026 when the latter is set to become Sauber’s primary team.

While the Chinese driver's current contract is valued around $500,000, expectations of a pay hike next season might strain the team's limited finances. Comparatively, Guanyu's teammate, Valtteri Bottas, has an expected annual deal of $10 million, which continues until 2025. Severing ties with Bottas would involve expensive compensations, leaving Zhou vulnerable to potential non-renewal.

Sauber could prioritise signing a rookie over an experienced Formula 1 driver who will most likely demand higher salaries. The Formula 2 Championship is ripe with talent, and among them, French driver Theo Pourchaire stands out. 

"Les bruits courent que Guanyu Zhou ne serait pas conservé à l'issue de cette saison 2023." 💣@Julien_FEBREAU vous donne les dernières infos sur les éventuels changements à venir chez Alfa Romeo 💰👀#DutchGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/5xqNFkwcdz

— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) August 25, 2023

Since joining in 2021, Pourchaire has clinched notable victories and is currently leading the Championship. His move to Formula 1 seems increasingly likely, adding to Sauber’s potential options.

Having given two fruitful seasons to Sauber, a potential exit for Guanyu would be untimely. The third season is often pivotal for young drivers, a time when they move from training to truly making their mark. As Sauber considers its next steps, Guanyu's future, along with the team's roster choices, remains a talking point. 

Guanyu recently spoke out on the contract discussions explaining that negotiations were currently ongoing. No official news has come from the team yet to confirm a contract extension has been signed. 

Joining Guanyu with an expiring contract this year are Yuki Tsunoda, Logan Sargeant, potentially Daniel Ricciardo, and Lewis Hamilton. Both Haas drivers, Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg, were in similar positions, however, their contract extensions were confirmed yesterday.