Cadillac introduced an thrilling new signing simply days after Ferrari’s announcement.
Graeme Lowdon has sealed a brand new signing for his crew (Picture: Getty) This text incorporates affiliate hyperlinks, we’ll obtain a fee on any gross sales we generate from it. Be taught extra
Graeme Lowdon has defined the choice to convey Zhou Guanyu into the Cadillac steady, simply three days after his exit from Ferrari was confirmed. The Chinese language racer spent the 2025 season on the sidelines with the legendary Italian constructor after he was axed by Sauber the earlier yr.
Zhou raced in F1 for 3 seasons earlier than Sauber executed a driver line-up shake-up forward of the 2025 marketing campaign, bringing in Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg. As a substitute of pursuing a profession in one other racing division, the 26-year-old has caught round within the F1 paddock, chasing a brand new alternative.
After restricted on-track alternatives with Ferrari in 2025, Zhou has switched to the brand new Cadillac squad for 2026. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez make up the American squad’s driver line-up, whereas former IndyCar stalwart Colton Herta is a check driver as he gears up for a much-anticipated Formulation Two marketing campaign.
Explaining the choice so as to add Zhou to Cadillac’s line-up, crew principal Graeme Lowdon advised F1.com: “You’ll see from the race driver choice that, as a brand new crew, we have put quite a lot of emphasis on expertise and driver expertise, and clearly Zhou could be very, very skilled.
“He is had three years of racing in Formulation One, and so, not like a number of the different candidates – who could effectively have superb credentials within the junior components and are trying maybe to get a foothold into Formulation One – the important thing factor for us, all through your entire driver line-up, is to work with very, very skilled individuals who can contribute to the general programme.
“I believe it’s totally straightforward to underestimate simply what is required to convey a brand new crew into Formulation One; as you recognize, Formulation One is unbelievably aggressive. It is extremely advanced, it is such a giant step from some other components, and so having drivers all through the entire driver programme who simply know precisely what they’re doing.
Zhou Guanyu has signed for Cadillac (Picture: Getty)
“And none of that is new to any of them, other than the very fact it is a brand-new crew – is de facto, actually essential. That performed a giant issue within the number of Zhou.”
Zhou brings with him an understanding of the Ferrari energy unit that may underpin Cadillac’s debut marketing campaign in 2026. “I’ve quite a lot of respect for Ferrari,” Lowdon continued. “It is a crew we have labored with earlier than up to now; I do know the individuals there very effectively.
“I do know simply how extremely they valued Zhou’s enter in 2025, which was one other huge issue for us. It additionally signifies that, indirectly, that Zhou staying in that total household, he is had expertise of growth and expertise of the 2026 tyres, and likewise simply expertise in working in a top-class, very aggressive crew.
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“So from our viewpoint, it simply ticked all the bins in so some ways; the expertise, the direct expertise with Ferrari, who’re our associate for the facility unit and the gearbox, and so it simply made quite a lot of sense for him to affix the crew.”
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