Zhou Guanyu aspires for F1 return with Cadillac in 2026

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

China's first and only F1 driver, Zhou Guanyu, expressed on Thursday his hope to secure a race seat with Cadillac when the team joins the grid in 2026. Speaking ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, Zhou discussed the competitive and challenging nature of the F1 driver market.

Cadillac, backed by General Motors, will become Formula 1's 11th team next year after receiving formal approval from the sport's commercial rights holders and governing body, FIA. "I'm first of all very happy that a new team is joining F1," said Ferrari's reserve driver. "The addition of a new team means there will be two new seats to compete for."

Zhou, a former Sauber driver, acknowledged the tough landscape of Formula 1. "There are many new players, and F1 is a very brutal sport. If you don't show your skills and mental toughness within a short period of time, it's easy to be eliminated," the Shanghai-born driver added.

A Chinese presence on the grid would be significant for F1 and owner Liberty Media, with China being a key market. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has previously suggested that China could ultimately host two races.

Cadillac has appointed Briton Graeme Lowdown as team principal. Zhou, however, made it clear that this does not guarantee his spot in the team. "I'm really happy, of course, that Graeme is the principal of Cadillac, but that doesn't mean I'm definitely linked with the team," Zhou said.

Zhou emphasized his current commitment to Ferrari: "I'm just doing my thing with Ferrari and trying to focus on the job here, and when there's a chance, I'm always going to be fully committed to it."

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