Zhou Guanyu joins Cadillac as reserve driver
Zhou Guanyu has been confirmed as the reserve driver for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team ahead of the American outfit’s highly anticipated Formula 1 debut in 2026.
Cadillac continue to build their inaugural F1 structure, with Zhou joining an already eye-catching driver line-up. The team have previously confirmed Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez as their race drivers, while former IndyCar star Colton Herta will take on the role of test driver.
Zhou brings valuable recent F1 experience
Zhou raced in Formula 1 between 2022 and 2024 with Alfa Romeo/Kick Sauber, making 68 Grand Prix starts and scoring points on seven occasions. His standout moments included a points finish on debut at the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix and Kick Sauber’s only points of the 2024 season in Qatar.
After leaving the grid at the end of 2024, Zhou joined Scuderia Ferrari in a reserve driver role, contributing through simulator duties, trackside support, and Ferrari’s Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programme. That experience is set to prove particularly useful, with Ferrari supplying power units and gearboxes to Cadillac from 2026.
“One of the most exciting new projects in F1”
Speaking on his appointment, Zhou said:
“I am delighted to join the Cadillac Formula 1 Team as a Reserve Driver ahead of its Formula 1 debut. This is one of the biggest and most exciting new projects that the sport has ever seen.”
Zhou also highlighted his existing relationships within the team, adding that working again with Bottas and Team Principal Graeme Lowdon feels like “rejoining family”.
Cadillac praise Zhou’s fit within the team
Lowdon explained that Cadillac applied the same rigorous approach to choosing their reserve driver as they did their race drivers:
“We wanted a candidate who had recent F1 driving experience and understands the challenges of developing a car throughout the season. Zhou fits the bill perfectly.”
Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings CEO Dan Towriss echoed that sentiment, describing Zhou as a strong complement to Bottas and Perez and praising the team’s “hungry, fast and collaborative” driver group.
On A Flying Lap take
For a brand-new F1 team, experience matters, and Zhou Guanyu brings exactly that. His recent race mileage, simulator knowledge, and Ferrari-backed technical insight could quietly make him one of the most important pieces of Cadillac’s 2026 puzzle — even if he starts the season on the sidelines.
Cadillac’s debut is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing storylines of the new regulations era, and Zhou’s arrival only adds to the momentum.
