Fishers, Indiana and Silverstone, UK — The Cadillac Formula 1® Team is pleased to confirm that Zhou Guanyu has joined as Reserve Driver for the team’s Formula 1 debut in 2026.
Zhou joins a talented lineup of drivers at the Cadillac Formula 1® Team, which includes race drivers Valtteri Bottas - alongside whom he raced throughout his stints at Alfa Romeo and Kick Sauber - and Checo Perez, plus Test Driver Colton Herta, who will compete in Formula 2 with Hitech in 2026.
Shanghai-born Zhou, who is China’s first and only F1 driver, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the team. His 68-race F1 career began in 2022 with Alfa Romeo, for whom he scored points three times, including on his debut in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Having quickly developed a reputation as a fast and hard-working team player, he continued with the outfit in 2023 when he also scored points on three occasions. Zhou remained with the team when it became Kick Sauber in 2024, and he claimed its only points finish of the year in the Qatar Grand Prix.
The 26-year-old also brings valuable experience from his time with Scuderia Ferrari, which will supply the Cadillac Formula 1® Team with its power unit and gearbox in 2026. Zhou completed various trackside, simulator, and Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) programs for the Italian marque in 2025 as Reserve Driver, acquiring relevant and recent experience ahead of his new role with the Cadillac Formula 1® Team.
As a junior driver, Zhou was recognized as a standout talent. He collected 20 podium finishes, including five victories, across a three-year stint in Formula 2, which culminated in third place in the series standings in 2021, when he also won the F3 Asian Championship by claiming four victories and five pole positions. He boasts wins in the highly regarded Formula 3 European Championship and Italian Formula 4 Championship, finishing second in the latter in 2015.
Zhou Guanyu 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.
“I have worked with both Graeme [Lowdon] and Valtteri [Bottas] for many years in various capacities, so joining the team feels like rejoining family. Having had recent experience on track and in developing the cars off track, I know I can add huge value to the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, and I am looking forward to supporting them the best way that I can.”
Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal, Cadillac Formula 1 Team, said: “Our process for selecting a Reserve Driver has been as thorough as the search for our Race Drivers. We wanted a candidate who had recent F1 driving experience, is prepared to work hard as part of a team and understands the challenges of developing a car throughout the season. Zhou fits the bill perfectly. He will be a great asset to us as we go racing in 2026 and we look forward to him being an integral part of our team.”
Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac Formula 1 Team Holdings, said: “I’m excited to welcome Zhou to the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. He will be an excellent addition to complement Valtteri and Checo; talented, personable and respectful of the hard work and commitment it will take for us to achieve our ambitions. I’m excited by our complete driver line-up – alongside Colton, we have a hungry, fast and collaborative group to make our 2026 debut.”
ABOUT CADILLAC FORMULA 1® TEAM
The Cadillac Formula 1® Team is a specialist motor racing team competing in the FIA Formula 1® World Championship. Backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors, the team has operations in Fishers, Indiana (USA); Charlotte, North Carolina (USA); and Silverstone, Northamptonshire (UK).
With the confidence to dream big and the passion to deliver, the Cadillac Formula 1® Team is building everything from the ground up – from high-performance race cars to an inclusive, values-driven culture. The team will make its Formula 1® debut in 2026.
ABOUT TWG MOTORSPORTS
TWG Motorsports is the motorsports entity of TWG Global, unifying a robust racing portfolio across the world's biggest stages in Formula 1®, INDYCAR, Formula E, IMSA, and NASCAR. With strategic partnerships that include General Motors on the Cadillac Formula 1® Team and ownership of Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports, TWG Motorsports combines deep technical expertise, proven competitive excellence and industry-leading business acumen. TWG Motorsports is committed to innovating, growing and winning at the highest levels of the sport. Learn more at TWGMotorsports.com.
ABOUT GM
General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.
