$35 Million Could Help Guanyu Zhou Get Sergio Perez Treatment Doled Out By Liberty Media

Guanyu Zhou’s future in F1 hangs by a thread, with his Sauber contract expiring at the end of the 2024 season. There aren’t many suitors available for the Chinese driver, but if he takes the approach Sergio Perez did, he could save his career.

Zhou’s entourage is reportedly offering $35 million to any team that signs him. The Shanghai-born driver is backed by Chinese sponsors and has been a huge commercial asset to Sauber in his time there.

This is similar to Perez’s situation at Red Bull. The Mexican driver has a plethora of sponsors and is hugely popular in Mexico and the US – both huge markets for F1. It is why despite his poor form, Red Bull refuses to part ways with him.

Sauber is not in dire need of money. Because Audi, one of the world’s richest automakers, will take over from 2026 onwards. Alpine, on the other hand, could do wonders with the $35 million Zhou is offering. The team has struggled a lot over the last few months. And a cash injection could help them get out of the slump.

Alpine could also use the money to become a Mercedes customer, as the team looks to shut down its powertrains department. Buying Mercedes engines could massively help Alpine too, because they have been very slow on that front, for a while.

On the other hand, Zhou joining Alpine could potentially ruin Jack Doohan’s chances of getting to F1.

Doohan, who is a development driver for Alpine, was tipped to make his debut in 2025. But if Liberty Media intervenes in favor of Zhou’s commercial appeal, Doohan could be left on the sidelines for longer.

Fans are upset with the possibility of Liberty Media’s intervention

Liberty Media, owners of F1, reportedly intervened to save Perez from getting sacked by Red Bull. Now, the possibility of them stepping in to save Zhou comes in. Unhappy with the news, fans took to X, to let their frustrations show.

While Doohan is the present Alpine junior driver, Zhou once served the same position when the team was called Renault. Thus, both drivers have links with the French outfit. However, Zhou has the advantage of having F1 experience, the Chinese sponsors, Liberty Media on his side.