Photo: Joe Portlock / FIA Formula 2
Renault Sport Academy member Guanyu Zhou will also act as the Renault Formula 1 team’s test driver this year after Jack Aitken’s departure.
Zhou joined Renault’s young driver programme in 2019 after five years as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, and enjoyed a successful rookie Formula 2 season with Virtuosi Racing that included a pole position and five podiums.
The Chinese driver will remain at Virtuosi for his second season in the category, and after his F2 rival Aitken left Renault for Williams at the start of February it is now Zhou who will take his place as test driver.
?I?m looking forward to becoming the team?s test driver,? said Zhou.
?It?s another step up from being development driver in 2019.
“This year I have an even better opportunity, meaning working harder than before, getting as much information as possible for driving a Formula 1 car and, at the same time, improving the areas the team needs to work on to help them get better in the future.?
While Aitken was test driver he did not make any free practice appearances, and the postponement (and likely total cancellation) of this year’s Chinese Grand Prix makes it highly unlikely that Zhou will be driving in an official F1 session in his home country in 2020.
In his second F2 campaign he will be team-mate to fellow sophomore driver and Ferrari junior Callum Ilott. The Briton looks likely to continue his relationship with Alfa Romeo Racing, who he tested for last year as a result of being a member of the Sauber Junior Team.