Formula 1
Cadillac to add Formula 1 team to the grid in 2026: What we know about the owners, drivers, engines...
The General Motors Group, who are already involved in Nascar and other motorsport, will join the F1 grid for the 2026 season.
The 2026 Formula 1 grid will feature 22 cars instead of 20, as the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) has accepted General Motors’ proposal to establish an eleventh team under the Cadillac name. On Monday, GM and F1 announced the agreement, which follows Michael Andretti’s withdrawal from negotiations. The new team, which inherits much of Andretti’s project but is now led by businessman Dan Towriss, has met the commercial and operational criteria set by Liberty Media, which owns the Formula One Group.
Cadlillac-F1 agreement details
After discussions were stepped up during the Las Vegas Grand Prix, the proposal received the green light. Cadillac will need to find an engine partner for the 2026 season and will have to negotiate with current manufacturers (Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull-Ford, Honda, or Audi). The agreement includes a commitment from General Motors to ultimately produce its own engine.
So far, it is known that Michael Andretti’s father, Mario, the last American F1 champion (1978), will serve as a director on the team’s board. The team will have bases in Indiana, Charlotte, Michigan, and Silverstone.
Who could drive for Cadillac in F1?
As it stands, there is no news as to who will be driving for Cadillac, although speculation has already begun, with Sergio Pérez, Mick Schumacher, Kevin Magnussen and Valtteri Bottas among the names mentioned so far.
“Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024 (when Andretti’s proposal was rejected)”, an F1 statement reads.
“Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time. Formula 1 is therefore pleased to move forward with this application process and will provide further updates in due course.
General Motors involvement part of F1′s plans “to grow in the US”
Greg Maffei, acting CEO of Liberty Media, who will soon be stepping down, highlights F1′s plans “to grow in the United States.” “We have always believed that incorporating an impressive American manufacturer like General Motors and Cadillac could add value to the sport”:
Stefano Domenicali, the head of F1, celebrates “General Motors and Cadillac’s commitment to this project” as “an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport”.
Meanwhile, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, one of the initial main supporters of the proposal, states: “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners. I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application to bring a GM/Cadillac branded team on the grid for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship. All parties, including the FIA, will continue to work together to ensure the process progresses smoothly.”
Cadillac and GM’s motorsport presence
Cadillac has never officially competed in F1 but does have a significant presence in American motorsports. The manufacturer won the 24 Hours of Daytona four times between 2017 and 2020, with two-time F1 drivers’ champion Fernando Alonso triumphing in 2018.
Since 2023, they have competed in Le Mans and the World Endurance Championship (WEC) with the V-Series.R, originally named the Cadillac V-LMDh, a third-generation prototype race car. Among their endurance racing drivers is Álex Palou, IndyCar champion in 2022 and 2024.
Another General Motors brand with a rich racing history is Chevrolet, which manufactures engines for IndyCar and has participated in NASCAR since the 1950s, being the most successful manufacturer in North America’s biggest motorsport championship. Now, the group is making the leap to Formula 1, one of the world’s premier forms of racing.
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