Formula 1 has approved General Motors (GM), allowing the American automaker to enter the elite motorsport as the 11th team in the 2026 season. Coming in hot as a Cadillac, GM’s entry is a momentous increase within the U.S. footprint in Formula 1, a sport arguably exploding in recognition within the U.S.
For now the Cadillac-branded team will be a customer outfit using existing power unit suppliers. Yes, but GM has made aggressive plans to develop its own F1 power unit by the end of the decade, moving toward being a complete, or “works,” F1 team. Formula 1, in a statement, said that this intention proved a key factor in its decision to grant GM entry.
“What with Formula 1’s ever growing and popular stature in the U.S., we’ve long thought a leading American brand such as GM’s Cadillac could add hugely to the reach and appeal of the sport and its fans,” Greg Maffei, the outgoing chief executive of Liberty Media, which owns Formula 1, said in a statement. GM’s commitment to be developing its own power unit was a key reason why it was allowed onto the grid, according to Maffei.
The announcement comes months after a formal process to determine a new team for F1, which started with an initial application from the Andretti Global organization and its partner in the bid, Cadillac. That initial bid was accepted by governing body the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile, but was initially opposed by leadership of Formula 1. Tensions between Andretti Global’s chief executive, Michael Andretti, and F1 executives reportedly helped contribute to the initial rejection. But with Andretti’s name scrubbed from GM’s entry bid, the sanctioning body has proceeded, approving the deal.
TWG Global, a new motorsport company that oversees Andretti Global, Wayne Taylor Racing and Spire Motorsports, will partnership with Cadillac instead of Andretti. For the rest of the season, this partnership provides the new Formula 1 team access to TWG‘s world-class resources in both the U.S. and Silverstone, England. Mario Andretti, the last American to win a Formula 1 title and Michael Andretti’s father, will serve as a director on the team’s board.
THE GIST: This is super-exciting news and fits into Formula 1’s plans to broaden out team ownership and improve the standard of competition on the grid. GM’s Cadillac entry also adds a proven American brand to the mix along with new opportunities for fan engagement and competitive dynamics. Hoping to enter Formula 1 in 2026, the Cadillac team promises to provide another thrust to the sport’s continued expansion in the United States.
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