Zhou Guanyu has revealed to Motorsport Week how he plans to return to a full-time seat in Formula 1 after almost two years on the sidelines.
Zhou last raced in F1 in 2024, driving for Sauber in their penultimate year before it transformed into Audi in 2026,
Although off the grid, he has remained in the paddock, spending last year as Ferrari’s test and reserve driver for 2025, before taking on a new challenge for this year.
The Chinese driver has joined Cadillac in 2026, in the same role as he had at Ferrari, moving from F1’s oldest team to one in its maiden season.
Asked in an exclusive interview with Motorsport Week about the potential of stepping back into the car if required, he believes he is ready.
“Firstly, I think the first question I would say is, I wouldn’t just keep thinking, okay, what I’m getting at is, you know, what are the chances coming or what they need me to be jumping in terms of to be healthy or what driver doesn’t feel well to be stepping in,” he said.
“I’m ready for this.”
“So, I’m feeling even more ready after the test I’ve done, you know, going for this installation of how exactly this car, this steering wheel manual is working. So, I’m really familiar with exactly everything, like the two drivers.”
Zhou Guanyu reveals “long-term” plan
Not content with waiting around for a seat to open, Zhou harbours ambitions to return full-time to the grid, and is targeting a “second shot” at a seat in Motorsport’s top flight.
“And then, in terms of long-term, yeah, I’m still looking for a possibility to get back here.
“Obviously, it’s quite tricky with new regulation, of course.
“You see the field is more spread out, so there’s more, I think, more chances or, let’s say, more windows for people to make a mistake. It doesn’t stand out so much just because, like, what we’re doing in that generation, you know, I think within a second, you’re getting knocked out of Q1.
“So, it’s, like, it’s such a tight grid, but now it’s, like, really spread out because you have new engineers with you. So, the chance is definitely there, but I just hopefully can get one sooner than later. So, yeah, my dream is still continuously to be in F1.Hopefully, one day I can get back and have another second shot, second chance to show what I can do.”
Zhou has a hunger to return to the grid full-time and exudes the confidence of a driver who knows their talent behind the wheel.
Second chances are rare in a sport as ruthlessly cutthroat as F1, but Zhou is steadfast in his belief that he can make a difference in a race seat.
Cadillac has clearly been transformative for Zhou. Whether he gets his opportunity to make a full-time comeback remains to be seen.
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