The Cadillac Formula 1 Team has confirmed that Zhou Guanyu will serve as the team’s reserve driver for its Formula 1 debut, scheduled for the 2026 season. The announcement was made from Fishers, United States, and Silverstone, United Kingdom.
Zhou joins Cadillac’s F1 driver group, which includes Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez, and test driver Colton Herta, who will compete in Formula 2 with the Hitech team in 2026.
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Born in Shanghai, Zhou is the first and, so far, only Chinese driver to compete in Formula 1. His career in the category includes 68 Grands Prix, beginning in 2022 with Alfa Romeo, when he scored points on three occasions, including in his debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix. In 2023, he again scored points three times and remained with the team in 2024, already under the Kick Sauber name, registering the team’s only points finish of that season at the Qatar Grand Prix.
At 26 years old, Zhou also brings recent experience gained with Scuderia Ferrari, which will supply Cadillac with the power unit and gearbox in 2026. In 2025, the driver served as a reserve for the Italian team, taking part in track programs, simulator work, and tests with cars from previous seasons, accumulating valuable technical knowledge before taking on his new role.
In the junior categories, Zhou stood out with 20 podiums and five victories over three seasons in Formula 2, finishing the 2021 championship in third place. That same year, he won the Asian Formula 3 Championship, with four victories and five pole positions. His résumé also includes victories in the European Formula 3 Championship and in the Italian Formula 4 Championship, where he finished as runner-up in 2015.
In an official statement, Zhou said he was pleased with the opportunity to join Cadillac’s Formula 1 project and highlighted his familiarity with team members such as Graeme Lowdon and Valtteri Bottas. According to the driver, his recent experience on track and in car development can contribute to the team’s preparation work ahead of its debut in the category.
Source and image: Cadillac. This content was created with the assistance of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
