Zhou targets F1 return in 2026… with Cadillac in his sights

He wasn't on the starting grid for the Chinese Grand Prix, yet he was one of the most sought-after and acclaimed figures in Shanghai last weekend. Guanyu-Zhou returned to his hometown on the sidelines of the Chinese event, a year after contesting his home race with Sauber in front of his many fans. This year, the Chinese driver watched the Grand Prix from the Ferrari garage, as the reserve driver for the TeamThis did not stop him from taking selfies and giving interviews with the media... especially since Guanyu Zhou now appears to be a serious candidate to return to F1 in 2026.

Indeed, the 25-year-old driver is reportedly on the good books of Cadillac, which will join the grid next year and must therefore recruit two drivers. Due to his nationality, the former Sauber driver – and now at Ferrari, which will be Cadillac's future engine supplier – already has a significant advantage for the American manufacturer, given the importance of the Chinese market. But Guanyu Zhou's main asset is his relationship with Graeme Lowdon, Team Principal of Cadillac F1 Team, who is none other than... his manager. Moreover, at the beginning of March, The British leader had recalled the « exceptionally good work" of the Chinese driver during his Sauber years, claiming that he was part "very good ones" pilots.

Zhou on the lookout for Cadillac opportunity

For Guanyu Zhou, this opportunity is not to be ignored... and he assures that he is ready to seize it if it presents itself to him. "First of all, I'm very happy that a new team is joining F1. It's a shame that there won't be a seat available for me [in 2025], and the arrival of a new team means that there will be two new seats to fill, declared the driver of 68 Grand Prix on the sidelines of the Chinese meetingI'll definitely wait for any opportunity. There are a lot of new drivers and F1 is a very brutal sport. If you don't show your skills and mental strength in a short period of time, it's easy to be eliminated." 

While his relationship with Graeme Lowdon could facilitate a rapprochement with the Cadillac clan, Guanyu Zhou nevertheless assures that it has no impact on his immediate future for the time being. The Chinese driver maintains that the fact that the Briton is at the helm of the new American team does not mean that he was guaranteed a seat at Cadillac in 2026. "I'm very happy, of course, that Graeme [Lowdon] is the principal of Cadillac, but that doesn't mean that I'm permanently linked to the team because, ultimately, the overall decision is made by different people, Guanyu Zhou stressedI just do my job with Ferrari and try to focus on my job here. When there is an opportunity, I will always commit to it fully." The 25-year-old driver will face stiff competition to land a seat at Cadillac: names like Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Pérez, Colton Herta, Mick Schumacher and Alex Palou also appear as credible candidates.

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