Motorsport News

F1 Approves Cadillac Entry for 2026 Season

F1 Approves Cadillac Entry for 2026 Season

Formula 1 and General Motors, the American car manufacturer, have reached an agreement in principle for a Cadillac team to enter the global single seater championship in 2026.

It comes 10 months after F1 rejected an entry request from Andretti Global, which sought to enter in partnership with Cadillac. Since that episode, Michael Andretti, who was at the helm of his eponymous team’s bid, has stepped back from his team ownership role.

The renewed effort for GM to enter F1 under its Cadillac brand was orchestrated by the manufacturer and TWG Global, an investment company that owns multiple race teams including Andretti Global, IMSA front-runner Wayne Taylor Racing and NASCAR outfit Spire Motorsports. Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, was named as a board member for the project, having previously supported his son Michael in the original Andretti effort.

‘As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence,’ said GM president mark Reuss. ‘It’s an honour for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world.

‘This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.’

The Cadillac F1 team will be based on both sides of the Atlantic. Following Andretti’s original bid with GM, work commenced on recruiting staff in key engineering positions and establishing a UK-based facility at Silverstone. Operations will also be conducted from Andretti’s US headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, as well as Detroit, where GM is based, and Charlotte.

General Motors will manufacture an F1 power unit, although it is set to begin life as a customer team on a temporary basis while the engine is developed. Cadillac intends to become a ‘full works team’ by 2030.

‘General Motors and Cadillac’s commitment to this project is an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport,’ said Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of F1. ‘We look forward to seeing the progress and growth of this application, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved.’

Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Racecar Engineering…