Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas process applied to new Cadillac driver appointment

Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon has hailed Zhou Guanyu as the 'perfect' back-up to Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas ahead of the American marque's debut year in F1.

After Ferrari confirmed on Friday that Zhou had left the Scuderia following a year in the role as test and reserve driver, the 26-year-old has joined Cadillac as its reserve to Perez and Bottas.

The move is perhaps an unsurprising one, given Lowdon has managed the Chinese driver throughout his F1 career, but Cadillac's team boss is adamant that due care and consideration were applied to filling the role, as was the case with appointing his two race drivers.

"Our process for selecting a reserve driver has been as thorough as the search for our race drivers," insisted Lowdon.

"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."

Cadillac CEO Dan Towriss has no doubt Zhou will prove a valuable addition. He joins Colton Herta in the team's 'backfield', with the IndyCar star serving as test driver this year.

Expressing his excitement in welcoming Zhou to Cadillac, Towriss said: "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."