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Zhou Guanyu (L) and teammate Valtteri Bottas of Sauber Stake F1 Team at the launch of Stake F1 Team C44 race car in London, England, February 5, 2024. /CFP

China's F1 racer Zhou Guanyu is planning a more aggressive approach to his third season in Formula One with the Sauber-run team now known as Stake.

"I think this is a year where I really want to change a little bit the way I approach, be a bit more aggressive, try and be a bit more ambitious just in general," Zhou told Reuters on the team's launch of 2024 race car on February 5.

Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo ended their partnership with Swiss-based Sauber at the end of 2023 and have been rebranded with a constructor name of Kick Sauber.

The team finished ninth of the 10 teams, with Valtteri Bottas scoring 10 of the 16 points.

Zhou finished ninth three times but claimed the fastest lap, without a bonus point, in the Bahrain season-opener. He also qualified fifth in the Hungarian Grand Prix but was caught in a first corner collision and finished 16th.

He also scored six points in 2022, when Bottas scored 49.

Sauber are competing as Stake F1 in 2024 and 2025 before transforming into the factory Audi team in 2026.

"A lot of drivers are going to be out of contract so there will be a massive changing around in the driver market ... I want to make sure I have a very strong season for my own future in F1," Zhou said.

"I was like a rookie the first year, second year I didn't want to take high risks, I wanted to make sure I made fewer mistakes because you see drivers when they do mistakes, they stay for less than two years and they are out," he added.

"So, that was kind of my approach for the first year and a half but now it's time to change that."

"I think consistency is still something I can definitely improve," he said.

"I do feel that after two years in Formula One, this is the year I want to extract everything I have, together with the package we have. The last two seasons have been a learning curve for me," added Zhou, who will have a home Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai for the first time this April and has enjoyed time at home in the off-season.

"I do feel there's a lot more potential for me to bring out this season."

A view of the Stake F1 Team C44 race car for the new season in London, England, February 5, 2024. /CFP

Sauber's name branding

The official title of Sauber's race car in 2024 season is Stake F1 Team C44, which made its track debut recently.

"As you know, last year we alternated two different names according to the different countries where we go racing," said Alessandro Alunni Bravi, team representative of Sauber F1 team. "We will be fully complying with all the local applicable laws and where Stake is prohibited, if gambling advertising is prohibited, we will use a different name," he said.

"Last year, we had Kick as one of our most important partners – our chassis name is a Kick Sauber – so where we are not going to race as Stake F1 Team, we will use a second team name."

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner (R) and Mercedes GP executive director Toto Wolff after the F1 Grand Prix in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, November 26, 2023. /CFP

Christian Horner hearing set for Friday

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner will face a company hearing on February 9 after an unspecified complaint was made against him.

Sources indicated the hearing would be at the team's Milton Keynes factory.

There was no official confirmation from the reigning world champions or the Austrian energy drink giant that owns the team as well as sister outfit Visa Cash App RB, previously AlphaTauri.

Red Bull Racing are due to launch their new car on February 15, with testing starting in Bahrain on February 21 and the opening race on March 2. The team have so far made no public comment on the allegations.

The BBC said it understood the complaint related to "inappropriate behavior of a controlling nature."

Horner, who is married to former Spice Girls singer Geri Halliwell, has been quoted by Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf saying he completely denies the allegations.

Red Bull Austria said in a statement on Monday that they were investigating a complaint against Horner, without giving details.

"After being made aware of certain recent allegations, the company launched an independent investigation," it said.

"This process, which is already underway, is being carried out by an external specialist barrister. The company takes these matters extremely seriously and the investigation will be completed as soon as practically possible."

Horner, 50, and his team celebrated the most dominant season in F1 history last year, with Dutch driver Max Verstappen taking his third title in a row and Red Bull winning 21 of 22 races.

The Briton is the longest serving team boss in Formula One and was by far the youngest when he led Red Bull into the sport in 2005.

(With input from agencies)