The American team, which will make its F1 debut this year, dropped a series of cryptic social media hints, fuelling speculation that the Chinese driver will join ahead of the new campaign.
The team’s most recent teaser featured a close-up of a cat’s eye with the number 24 – Zhou’s official F1 race number – and a subtle Cadillac logo, alongside the date Monday, 5 January, and the caption: “Reflections of the future.”
The feline motif is widely believed to reference Zhou’s well-known love of cats, while observers also noted that a December promotional image appeared to have a figure conspicuously edited out, suggesting Zhou may already be involved behind the scenes.
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The 26-year-old made history as the first Chinese driver to compete in F1 with Alfa Romeo-Sauber between 2022 and 2024.
He spent last season as Ferrari’s reserve driver, backing up Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton while also completing a number of TPC outings.
It was confirmed last week that Ferrari and Zhou had parted ways ahead of the 2026 season.
A move to Cadillac would see Zhou reunited with his former Sauber teammate Valtteri Bottas, who was announced alongside Sergio Perez as the team’s inaugural drivers last year, with IndyCar star Colton Herta added as the third driver while preparing for his first F2 season with Hitech.
Herta lacks an F1 superlicence, however, leaving Cadillac in need of a reserve driver with recent F1 experience – a role Zhou would be perfectly suited for.
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Speaking last year, Zhou expressed his ambition to return to F1.
“I think it’s very important to work with different people, different teams, so they understand your abilities,” he told PlanetF1.
“When I came here [to Ferrari], a lot of people didn’t know the driver I was and the engineers are quite positive with all the feedback and the stuff I was able to bring, feedback with data, analysing, all of that.
“I think it’s important just to stay in the paddock, but let more people understand the driver you are… Obviously, I think this year or next year are the big two years, especially next year, when there’s new regulation changes.
“But then there are a lot of drivers that will be a question mark for their future as well, so that’s where I think the opportunities will come.”
In 68 F1 races, Zhou scored 16 points, set two fastest laps, and recorded a best finish of eighth twice, at the 2022 Canadian Grand Prix and 2024 Qatar Grand Prix.
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