General Motors Co. in Detroit and the Indianapolis-based race team Andretti Global announced Thursday their intention to partner in an effort to compete with the Cadillac brand in the FIA Formula One World Championship.
The Andretti Cadillac team is planning to submit an Expression of Interest when the FIA opens the formal process. If selected, the team is seeking to compete as soon as practical with at least one American driver. The team would be based in the U.S. with a support facility in the U.K.
Andretti Global is owned by former IndyCar series champion and F1 driver Michael Andretti, son of racing legend Mario Andretti.
“We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next,” says Andretti. “I feel very strongly that we are suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans.
“I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.”
American Gene Haas, owner of the Haas F1 Team and machine tool builder Haas Automation, is based in North Carolina but runs Ferrari engines and has drivers from Denmark and Germany.
“Together, we will continue to follow procedures and steps put forth by the FIA during the evaluation process,” Andretti continues. “In the meantime, we continue to optimistically prepare should we be fortunate enough to have Andretti Cadillac formally approved as a Formula One contender.”
If successful, it would be the Detroit automaker’s first foray into the world’s premiere racing series. GM has had success in other forms of auto racing including drag racing, NASCAR, IndyCar, and sports car racing with Chevrolet and former brands Pontiac and Oldsmobile.
Cadillac has been competing in American sports car racing in IMSA since 2017, grabbing numerous wins, podiums, and championships with the Cadillac DPi-V.R. The brand will continue in sports car racing with the all-new hybrid Cadillac V-LMDh, which will compete globally in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and FIA World Endurance Championship, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Andretti racing teams currently compete in seven different top-tier series worldwide including the FIA Formula-E Championship for all-electric open-wheel racers. The team has amassed more than 200 race wins, four IndyCar series championships, four Indy Lights titles, and five Indianapolis 500 triumphs.
“General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing,” says Mark Reuss, president of General Motors. “We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport.
“Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.”
Although historically not the most-popular form of racing in the U.S., it is the world’s most popular racing series hosting races in nearly 20 countries. F1 is gaining American fans. In 2023, the series will stage Grand Prix in Austin, Texas; Miami, and Las Vegas.
Once approved, Cadillac will be able to put its technology up against perennial F1 competitors Mercedes, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, McLaren, Renault, and Honda.
