Cadillac looks to tap Zhou's experience

Zhou Guanyu brings speed, experience and significant Ferrari knowledge to Cadillac, as the United States-based outfit prepares for its Formula One debut in 2026, team principal Graeme Lowdon said.

Zhou was confirmed this month as Cadillac's reserve driver, joining main drivers Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez, with American Colton Herta — who is being groomed for a future race seat — appointed as the team's test driver.

"This is the best driver lineup for us going into 2026," Lowdon told reporters. "All the drivers in the program have been selected on merit."

Lowdon has worked closely with Zhou for many years, having formed part of the racer's management team, and described the Shanghai native as "very fast, very disciplined and very dedicated", adding that his reputation as a good team player was something he had seen "firsthand and close up".

Zhou made history in 2022 when he signed for Alfa Romeo-Sauber to become China's first F1 race driver. He raced with the Swiss-based team for three years, before spending the 2025 season as reserve driver at Ferrari — the power unit and gearbox of which Cadillac will use in 2026.

Lowdon said that Zhou's recent Ferrari experience would prove vital in the face of F1's new engine and chassis regulations this year.

"The power units are completely new," Lowdon said. "To a large extent, Zhou is staying in the Ferrari power unit family by joining Cadillac. It's a perfect combination of ability, experience and extremely recent, and relevant, knowledge."

Lowdon added that Zhou would be the first reserve to step into a race seat if Bottas or Perez were unavailable, pointing to the Chinese driver's three seasons as a full-time F1 racer.

"Zhou is very experienced for a reserve driver," Lowdon said. "If we ever called on him, I'd have absolutely no concerns about his speed or his ability to race."

That experience, however, also places natural limits on how much track time Zhou is likely to receive. Under F1 rules, teams must give Friday practice outings to rookie drivers — a category Zhou is ineligible for.

Cadillac is also compromised with F1's 'Testing of Previous Cars' regulations — which allow teams to run cars at least two years old — having no recent chassis of its own to draw from.

Lowdon acknowledged that Zhou's contribution would therefore extend well beyond on-track mileage.

"A lot of the value Zhou brings will be at the circuit, interacting with engineers," he said. "I recognize that's less seat time for him, but his input is very important to the overall competitiveness of the package."

Lowdon also highlighted Zhou's ability to absorb feedback and apply it over a race distance, which he said would be crucial in implementing the new rules for 2026.

"He's a very intelligent driver,"Lowdon said. "With the new regulations, there's a huge emphasis on managing the power unit and the tires, and I've seen firsthand that Zhou has the mental capacity to really excel in those areas."

Zhou had been among the drivers considered for a Cadillac race seat before Bottas and Perez were confirmed. Lowdon said the final decision reflected a preference for drivers with experience across multiple championship-winning teams — which Bottas and Perez have from Mercedes and Red Bull, respectively.

Beyond the garage, Zhou's presence also carries significance as F1 continues to rebuild momentum in China. The Chinese Grand Prix will be the second round of the 2026 season, and Lowdon said Cadillac was "very excited" to race in Shanghai with Zhou as part of the team, citing the growth of the sport's fan base since Zhou became the country's first F1 driver.

"It's a real pleasure for us to have Zhou at the heart of the team as we go into only our second-ever F1 race," Lowdon said.

Zhou's arrival is set to give the Cadillac brand visibility in China, where he is a celebrity with a major commercial profile.

Zhou was Bottas' teammate over three seasons with Sauber, including when they drove under the Alfa Romeo banner, from 2022 through 2024, and the Chinese driver had a best race finish of eighth. His Ferrari duties last year included a test of 2026-specification tires in September when Lewis Hamilton was absent for personal reasons.

With no F1 race seats available to him for 2026, and limited options in other series, Zhou said joining Cadillac felt like a return to familiar ground.

"I have worked with both Graeme and Valtteri for many years, so joining the team feels like rejoining family," he said.

"I know I can add value both on, and off, the track."

Xinhua and Agencies