CEO Dan Towriss explains how he and his TWG Motorsports company first became involved in discussions about F1, the work to build a team, choosing their race drivers and making their F1 debut in Australia. Such is the challenge of modern Formula 1, just getting two cars on the grid for a race is a huge achievement in itself. But Cadillac's ambitions stretch much further than that. He explains how he and his TWG Motorsports company first became involved in discussions about F1, their conversations with General Motors and Cadillac, the work to build a team, choosing their race drivers and making their F1 debut in Australia. Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are the first drivers selected to represent the famous American brand in Formula 1, so what do they bring to a new team? What does the future hold for the team's reserve driver, IndyCar star Colton Herta? And what are the team's aims in their first season? The learning curve is steep at the pinnacle of motorsport, but as Dan explains, "no part of this should be easy". To listen to this week's episode, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform. You can also check out a huge selection of previous episodes – spanning every decade of F1 – in our dedicated Beyond The Grid library here.

Over three seasons and 68 race starts, he showed speed, determination and resilience, building a strong following before stepping into reserve roles with Ferrari and then Cadillac where he can use his racing experience to help behind the scenes. From the moment he stepped into the F1 paddock, he turned media day into something closer to a runway, using his platform to showcase his love of creative outfits and curated looks. His paddock style is a confident blend of high-end streetwear and luxury fashion, going for darker palettes, mainly blacks, punctuated by bold choices in footwear and accessories. He gravitates towards Dior, Rick Owens, and Chrome Hearts, naming all three as his top brands and citing designer Kim Jones as a primary sartorial inspiration. He has appeared in the paddock in Prada, Issey Miyake, KidSuper, and Lululemon, taking a more eclectic and joyful approach rather than a repetitive image. You won't be surprised to hear that fashion icon Lewis Hamilton is one of Zhou's inspirations. In the past, maybe 20 years ago, racing drivers were just about racing, but we still have our enjoyable personal stuff to show on Thursdays, I think it's great. I fully remember the first time he did that. A lot of people were saying ‘why is he wearing that? ', and I was one of the guys who liked his fashion sense. I just really want to be myself, either on track or off track, so that was what I tried to do.” Perhaps what sets Zhou apart most clearly is his insistence on dressing himself. Instead, he picks from the latest collections online, focusing on staying true to his own fashion sense. He has a fondness for silver pieces rather than gold and is comfortable with accessories that many athletes would avoid. His trainer collection is a point of pride, telling Harper's Bazaar that he'd save his favourite limited-edition shoes, noting their uniqueness and irreplaceability. Zhou's helmet designs have become an extension of his fashionable philosophy. He retains approximately 99% creative control over his helmet designs, telling CGTN: "I want a helmet that represents myself, my city and my country." For 2026, his Cadillac helmet features a blue and white porcelain design topped with Shanghai's iconic skyline: "I think the most representative thing is the blue and white porcelain, that's traditional about China, so it just reminds me of where I'm coming from," he explained. His most recent editorial moment came in March 2025, when he appeared on the cover of Harper's Bazaar China, shot in Ferrari red as he settled into his role as reserve driver for the Scuderia. Photographed by Chen Man, the images caused quite a stir online. The editorial showcased his deep understanding of fashion – it's rare to see a Formula 1 driver take to modelling so naturally, but Zhou has the confidence that works well on camera. Zhou has also graced the covers of WSJ, ELLE Men and Esquire in recent years. A testament to his reputation in the fashion world. His KidSuper outfit at the 2023 Australian Grand Prix attracted considerable attention, thanks to the brand's commitment to combining fashion and art – something that fits perfectly with Zhou's ethos. Zhou's role with Cadillac this season opens an intriguing new dimension to his fashion story. The raw, urban confidence of American streetwear culture has long appealed to Zhou, so keep an eye out for his paddock looks this year... China doesn't yet have a rich motorsport history, making Zhou's rise to F1 all the more impressive. "Still to this day, I have goosebumps thinking about it," he recalled. This week, Zhou returns to his hometown as reserve once again, but his status as a fashion icon and national hero has already been secured. He boasts more than four million followers across Weibo, RedNote, and Instagram, while you won't be able to escape his face on every Shanghai office building, subway station and shopping mall while Formula 1 is in town. And who knows what striking fashion looks he will be showing off when he hits the paddock at his home circuit when the F1 circus arrives...

We take a look at the 10 greatest drivers who impressed with a points finish in their first ever Formula 1 race. The 18-year-old driver ran as high as third on the opening lap and notably went wheel-to-wheel with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, before taking home four points at the first time of asking last weekend. It places the Briton amongst an illustrious club of drivers who have scored points on their maiden F1 outing, and prompted us to pick out 10 of the best to have achieved the feat… Drafted in for the penultimate race of the 1993 season at Suzuka, Eddie Irvine made headlines for several reasons on his F1 debut with Jordan. At one point, Irvine had unlapped himself in treacherous conditions which left Senna furious, prompting the Brazilian to confront and have an altercation with the rookie post-race. Driving for perennial backmarker team Minardi, not much was expected of Mark Webber during his debut race, which also happened to be in front of his home fans at Melbourne. As a result, Webber found himself in eighth, with further retirements helping the International F3000 race winner to move up inside the top-six. Having withstood late pressure from Mika Salo's Toyota, Webber claimed an incredible fifth, prompting himself and Minardi Team Principal Paul Stoddart to celebrate on the podium in front of the Australian fans. The fact Johnny Herbert was able to start the 1989 season with Benetton at all was an incredible feat, the Briton having sustained horrific leg injuries during an International F3000 race at Brands Hatch just six months earlier. Having avoided the threat of amputation and recovered some mobility in his legs, Herbert was recruited for the opening round in Rio de Janeiro, with the Briton qualifying an impressive 10th and ahead of more experienced team mate, Alessandro Nannini. In a race of attrition, Herbert weathered the extreme heat and severe pain in his legs to finish an astonishing fourth, just over 10 seconds behind race winner Nigel Mansell (who was making his debut for Ferrari) and less than one second away from the podium. Despite finishing fifth just four races later as well, Herbert was soon dropped from Benetton, eventually returning to the team in 1995 via a notable spell with Lotus, before achieving two wins and adding a third and final victory with Stewart at the 1999 European Grand Prix. Undeterred, Vettel qualified seventh and came home eighth, securing the final point on offer under the previous system and becoming the-then youngest driver to score a World Championship point. His performance earned him a shot at Red Bull's junior squad Toro Rosso just four races later, eventually landing himself at the senior squad in 2009 as four Drivers' titles beckoned between 2010-2013. The reigning Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion, Kevin Magnussen was promoted to a McLaren race seat for 2014 having been a member of the team's Young Driver Programme for several seasons. With polesitter Lewis Hamilton retiring early on, Magnussen was left to finish third on-the-road behind winner Nico Rosberg (Mercedes) and home hero Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull), but third became second post-race as Ricciardo was disqualified for a fuel irregularity. Fast-tracked into F1 by Mercedes after just a single season in F2, Kimi Antonelli faced a trial by water on his debut in the 2025 Australian Grand Prix and amidst huge pressure from the media and fans. While the likes of fellow rookie Isack Hadjar crashed on the formation lap and two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso also found the barriers in treacherous conditions, Antonelli stayed out of trouble and steadily climbed up from P16 on the grid after failing to progress beyond Q1. With Carlos Sainz needing emergency surgery for appendicitis, Ollie Bearman was called into action as Ferrari's reserve driver for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Briton was already at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit for F2 duties with Prema and had taken pole position for that weekend's feature race before finding himself making an unexpected F1 debut – becoming Ferrari's youngest driver in the process. With only the final, one-hour practice session to acclimatise to Ferrari's SF-24, Bearman got up to speed quickly and just missed out on reaching the final part of Qualifying, starting 11th on his debut. His impressive performance paved the way for two more super-sub outings for Haas later in the season before a full-time drive beckoned in 2025. Giancarlo Baghetti earned himself a footnote in F1 history at the 1961 French Grand Prix, becoming the first and only driver outside of the inaugural championship race in 1950 – and Indianapolis 500 races when it was part of the calendar – to claim victory on his Formula 1 debut. The Italian earned his shot in the event, held at Reims, having claimed top spot in his first two non-championship races at Syracuse and Naples that were held earlier in the season. Armed with the 'sharknose' Ferrari 156 – albeit not a factory machine which had slightly more horsepower – Baghetti entered the race as a privateer under FISA (Federazione Italiana Scuderie Automobilistiche). Even more incredibly, it was to be Baghetti's only victory in F1 and he never reached the podium again in 20 further starts, amassing just two points finishes despite moving to the factory Ferrari team in 1962. Having impressed McLaren with his pre-season testing performances as well as title success in the GP2 feeder series in 2006, Lewis Hamilton was given the second seat alongside two-time and reigning World Champion Fernando Alonso for the 2007 campaign. Having maintained his lead at both standing starts – the second required after Martin Brundle's spectacular crash – Villeneuve led until the sole pit stop phase before momentarily dropping behind Hill when the Briton rejoined in front. Villeneuve showcased his prowess though, with an audacious overtake around the outside at Turn 4 and looked on course for an incredible victory on debut, but a slow oil leak meant he had to concede the lead just five laps from home as he eventually finished second. Villeneuve's maiden F1 victory would come soon enough, however, as he stood on the top step just three races later at the Nürburgring and challenged Hill for that year's title. Despite missing out, Villeneuve ultimately claimed the crown the following season after an infamous collision with Michael Schumacher in Jerez that secured what remains Williams' most recent title.

Audi scored in Australia, courtesy of Gabriel Bortoleto - and Jonathan Wheatley hopes it is a sign of what is to come for his team. Having taken over the Sauber outfit, Audi have also produced their own power unit for their debut season, and they were in the thick of the action from word go in Melbourne. On raceday they only had one car competing – Nico Hulkenberg was unable to start after being wheeled off the grid with a loss of telemetry – but Bortoleto was able to turn a P10 grid slot into ninth at the flag, despite being on the arguably slower two-stop strategy. “I think we spent the winter focusing on ourselves, not getting caught up in what other teams' performance was like, not spending hours analysing everyone else's runs in Bahrain. We just wanted to come here and execute a clean race weekend,” Wheatley said afterwards. “We had some encouraging testing, and we came here feeling reasonably confident in terms of the performance of the car. But if you'd have said to me, I could swap anything and give you P9 in the race, I would have taken your hand off earlier in the week. So, look, I think it's been a very encouraging first race for the team, a historic moment – Audi, Formula 1 car, scoring points in its first ever race. "I feel the yin and yang that the other driver didn't get a chance to start the race, but I think all in all, we can hold our head up high and say it's a good start to our journey." Australia was a race of discovery for every team as they begin to battle in a new era of F1 regulations. “He's a fast learner, and I've talked before about his work ethic, but I think I should mention it now because he spent the whole of January either on the simulator in Neuberg or in Hinwil. “He could have stayed in Brazil for a little bit longer. And once again, I'm sat here thinking that he's developing really, really well as a driver and into, obviously, a future talent.” Hulkenberg though was unable to start the race – and his issue was not connected to that which Bortoleto suffered at the end of Q2 in Qualifying when he rolled to a stop at the pit entry. That puts them at a disadvantage compared to the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, who have multiple teams running their engines. “[Sunday was] the first time we've had a chance to really look at what other teams are doing and how they're doing it. We're fast learners, and I'm looking forward to seeing how that information can be used to benefit us,” Wheatley said. “Every time we take these brand-new cars to a new track with new characteristics, we could shake the order up. And the order is closer, I think, in the midfield than any of us were expecting, but maybe we'll be saying something different next week.