In 2009, at the age of sixteen, Cao, alongside Zhu Daiwei, would become the first Chinese driver in history to compete in the FIA World Karting Championship.

[1] Cao stepped up to single-seater racing in 2008, competing in the Chinese Formula Ford Campus Championship.

[5] In 2012, Cao moved to Europe and joined Fortec Motorsports to compete in Formula Renault BARC.

[8] Cao remained with Fortec into 2013, staying in the newly renamed Protyre Formula Renault Championship.

[10] He finished runner-up to Ben Barnicoat in the Protyre Formula Renault Autumn Cup at Rockingham, winning one of the event's three races.