BREAKING: ZHOU GUANYU JOINS CADILLAC FOR 2026! THE NEWEST F1 TEAM’S LINEUP FINALIZED
Cadillac F1 makes it official! Zhou Guanyu joins as reserve driver for 2026, reuniting with Valtteri Bottas and Graeme Lowdon.
Cadillac just made it official: Zhou Guanyu will be their reserve driver for the 2026 Formula 1 season. It’s not a surprise—everyone saw this coming—but now it’s locked in. For Cadillac, the sport’s newest team, it’s another smart pickup as they get ready for their big debut.
Zhou’s move comes right after Ferrari announced he’d left their reserve driver lineup. So, that chapter closes fast, and a new one opens with Cadillac. For Zhou, who’s 26 now, it’s perfect timing. He stays right in the mix as Cadillac ramps up for its first season on the grid.
He’s not exactly walking into a room full of strangers, either. Zhou will team up again with Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac’s team principal and part of Zhou’s management. That familiar face should make things feel a bit like home, even in the middle of a brand-new project.
Last year, there were plenty of rumours that Zhou might snag a race seat. In the end, Cadillac chose proven winners: Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas. Bottas, by the way, was Zhou’s teammate at Sauber for three years. Still, Zhou’s excited about his new role and ready to make a difference behind the scenes.
“I’m delighted to join Cadillac as reserve driver ahead of their F1 debut,” Zhou said. He picked up 16 points during his three years in Formula 1—not a huge haul, but solid experience. “This is one of the biggest and most exciting new projects the sport’s seen. I’ve worked with both Graeme and Valtteri in the past, so joining the team feels like getting back together with family. I’ve got recent track experience, and I know how to help develop the car, so I’m confident I can add a lot of value to Cadillac as they get started.”
Cadillac’s support squad is stacked. Zhou joins test driver Colton Herta and simulator drivers Simon Pagenaud, Pietro Fittipaldi, and Charlie Eastwood. Herta’s got potential, but without a superlicense, he can’t race in F1 yet. That means if Perez or Bottas can’t race, Zhou is the ready backup.
Lowdon, for his part, stressed that picking Zhou wasn’t just an easy option. “We took our time. The process for selecting a reserve driver was just as careful as picking our main drivers,” Lowdon said. “We wanted someone with recent F1 experience, someone who works hard, and someone who gets how tough developing a car can be. Zhou ticks all those boxes. He’s going to be a real asset when we go racing in 2026.”
Zhou will get to work soon, with three preseason tests in Barcelona and Bahrain before the season opener in Melbourne in early March. He’ll have plenty of chances to settle in with the team and get up to speed.
For Cadillac, bringing in a driver like Zhou—experienced, motivated, and already connected to key team members—feels like another bold step as they get ready for their first season in Formula 1.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
