F1 and American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) have agreed in principle to support bringing the Cadillac F1 Team to join the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2026, an official statement announced Monday.
Formula 1 announced in a statement released earlier today that the series is pleased to move forward with General Motors’ application to join the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2026 as the 11th team in the grid.
Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Media, commented: “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, we have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport.
“We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1. We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026.”
The application to join the pinnacle of motorsport was initially filed by Andretti Global in partnership with General Motors (GM) over a year ago when the FIA officially launched the call for Expression of Interest (Phase 1) for prospective new teams looking to participate at a competitive level in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
Andretti Global and GM application, represented by the Cadillac brand, met the selection criteria established by the FIA, which then referred it to Formula One Management (FOM) for commercial discussions.
However, the FOM would reject Andretti Cadillac’s proposal to join the F1 grid, leaving on the table a possibility for admission in 2028.
“We would look differently on an application for the entry of a team into the 2028 Championship with a GM power unit, either as a GM works team or as a GM customer team designing all allowable components in-house,” the statement issued last year by the FOM remarked.
Adding: “In this case, there would be additional factors to consider, in respect of the value that the Applicant would bring to the Championship, in particular in respect of bringing a prestigious new OEM to the sport as a PU supplier.”
In November 2023, GM officially confirmed its registration with the FIA as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer starting in the 2028 season.
Most recently, Michael Andretti, a former IndyCar driver and racing team owner since 2002, decided to step down from his ownership role in Andretti Global.
Last October, he released an open letter, writing: “I was born a racer. From an early age, I didn’t know anything different than life in the fast lane. Being a “son of” – be it a proud one – came with a high bar and, once I pressed the gas, I never looked back. I stopped at nothing to find success. I drove for the passion and love of the sport, but I won for the fear of losing. My father’s childhood dream became my destiny, and together, we built a legacy and a family business.
“Many of my best memories have come at the wheel of this organization, and I am so proud of what we have built. But decades of running flat out doesn’t come without sacrifice, and after much thought and reflection over the past several months, I came to the decision to take a step back. Now, I pass the baton to my partner and friend, Dan Towriss.”
TWG Global controls Andretti Global, whose majority owners are CEO Dan Towriss and Mark Walter; Andretti still holds an ownership stake in the company.
Addressing the new agreement reached with F1 and GM, Towriss outlined: “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1. Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans.”
“We appreciate FIA and FOM’s support of our application and their recognition of the value we can bring to the championship.”
The Cadillac F1 Team will be powered by Ferrari while GM builds its power unit to become a works outfit.
“F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we are committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world,” asserted GM President Mark Reuss.
This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.
In a social media post, Mario Andretti, 84, who will take on a director role on the team’s board, expressed: “I feel very lucky that I’ve been able to stick around for this long and do what I love for so long. And the idea that the Cadillac F1 Team wants me around…
I feel very lucky that I've been able to stick around for this long and do what I love for so long. And the idea that the Cadillac F1 Team wants me around….I'll help where I can, a non-executive role with the team, not involved in day-to-day operations (because I don't want a
— Mario Andretti (@MarioAndretti) November 25, 2024
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