One driver is ‘hard to ignore’ in Ferrari’s ‘urgent’ search for Lewis Hamilton’s new reserve

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Ferrari now face an ‘urgent’ search for a new reserve driver for the 2026 season after Zhou Guanyu agreed to sign for Cadillac for the American outfit’s debut F1 campaign.

The Scuderia hired Zhou as their reserve driver for the 2025 F1 season following his release from Sauber at the end of 2024. But the 26-year-old has now decided to leave Maranello for a new venture with Cadillac, with whom he will deputise for Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas.

Cadillac will make the brand’s debut in F1 this year as the series expands to 11 teams for the first time since 2016. The General Motors entry signed Perez and Bottas as their race drivers in August, and even hired former IndyCar star Colton Herta as their test driver in September.

Zhou now completes Cadillac’s F1 squad under CEO Dan Towriss and team principal Graeme Lowdon. A move for Zhou to leave Ferrari and be Cadillac’s 2026 F1 reserve driver had been on the cards for a while, as he can offer his knowledge of the Scuderia’s engine and gearbox.

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Rafael Camara is making himself ‘hard to ignore’ as Ferrari look to replace Zhou Guanyu

Cadillac will buy engines and gearboxes from Ferrari over their first few seasons on the grid while General Motors works on developing a factory power unit division in view of the 2029 campaign. But Zhou’s move to Cadillac leaves Ferrari needing a new reserve driver for 2026.

READ MORE: All to know about General Motors’ Cadillac F1 team from engine to drivers

That is according to the Mirror, which reports that Ferrari are now in ‘urgent’ need of a new understudy for Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The Maranello squad also need a driver who can fulfil the test and development duties that Zhou conducted for Ferrari during 2025.

Ferrari Driver Academy prospect Dino Beganovic is a ‘compelling option’ to replace Zhou as their 2026 reserve driver, as he has already made two F1 FP1 appearances for the Scuderia. Yet fellow Ferrari Driver Academy prospect Rafael Camara is making himself ‘hard to ignore’.

Camara is a real option to be Ferrari’s F1 reserve driver during his rookie F2 season in 2026 after his record-breaking F3 title in 2025. The 20-year-old Brazilian made history as the first driver to win the FIA F3 title with a round to spare since the series rebranded back in 2019.

Ferrari have been considering Rafael Camara for an F1 reserve driver role since he won the F3 title

Ferrari already have Antonio Giovinazzi on their books, having first hired the Italian in 2017. Yet Giovinazzi’s commitments with Ferrari’s World Endurance Championship team create a number of conflicts with the F1 calendar that the Scuderia overcame with Zhou last season.

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Also, Zhou fulfilled some of Ferrari’s Pirelli tyre tests in 2025 to help the brand get ready for F1’s 2026 regulations. Additionally, Zhou took part in Ferrari’s filming day at Mugello to test a rear suspension upgrade, as the Scuderia relied on him to help establish their base set-up.

Now, Beganovic or Camara will likely fill Zhou’s void as they will both compete in F2 in 2026. Beganovic will drive for DAMS in his second F2 season, while Camara will debut with Invicta Racing who won the F2 title with Gabriel Bortoleto in 2024 and Leonardo Fornaroli in 2025.

Ferrari have been considering Camara for an F1 reserve driver role for some time, as his F3 title triumph as a rookie in 2025 makes him eligible to receive the FIA Superlicence needed to race in Formula 1. Swedish 21-year-old Beganovic is also eligible for an FIA Superlicence.