General Motors Co. in Detroit and TWG Motorsports in the United Kingdom have formed a new company — GM Performance Power Units — to build Formula 1 engines that will carry the Cadillac brand on the world’s premiere racing circuit starting in 2026.
Industry veteran Russ O’Blenes has been named CEO of the new venture, which will build powertrains for the Cadillac Formula 1 team.
Initially, Cadillac will field cars and engines built by other manufacturers. The launch of GM Performance Power Units puts Cadillac on the path to being a “full works” team — one that builds its own vehicle and engines — by the end of the decade.
With more than 30 years of motor racing engineering experience, O’Blenes currently is director of the GM Motorsports Propulsion and Performance team. He joins TWG Motorsports and GM to create a “world-class technological base” for the new Formula 1 team.
“(Russ’) expertise and leadership will be instrumental as we lay the foundation for Cadillac’s Formula 1 journey,” says Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports. “Together with Team Principal Graeme Lowdon, they will lead the team in setting new standards of performance and innovation in the sport.”
O’Blenes’ career includes powertrain development for championship racing teams and award-winning production vehicles. He also led development of the GM Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac, and the commercialization of the brand’s eCrate initiative for performance car builders and EV enthusiasts.
“Russ brings vast experience from many championship racing series, and has outstanding technical expertise, including spearheading our hybrid IMSA Cadillac and Corvette C8.R engines that are proven winners,” says Mark Reuss, president of GM. “In F1, we’re going to demonstrate GM’s engineering and technology capabilities on a global stage, and Russ is the right choice to lead the Power Unit team that will make it happen.”
Development and testing of the team’s Formula 1 prototype engine technology already is underway. Engineering the F1 power unit is expected to leverage and advance GM’s expertise in electrification, hybrid technology, sustainable fuels, high efficiency internal combustion engines, advanced controls, and software systems.
Plans are in place to open a dedicated facility for Performance Power Units near GM’s Charlotte Technical Center in North Carolina in 2026.
“I am truly excited to have the opportunity to build and lead the team that will bring an American built F1 power unit to the grid,” says O’Blenes. “GM PPU is currently ramping up its team and is hiring in all areas of the business.”
As previously announced, the Cadillac Formula 1 Team will utilize Ferrari power units until the GM engines are approved for racing use.
In Other GM News: Senior Vice President of GM Global Design Michael Simcoe announced he will retire after a 42-year career with the company, effective July.
Simcoe will be succeeded by Bryan Nesbitt, currently executive director, Global Cadillac Design. Nesbitt will lead GM Global Design, effective July 1 – becoming just the eighth GM Design chief in nearly a century. Simcoe will remain in his current role until July 1 to ensure a smooth handover.
“Michael is a visionary designer and leader,” says Reuss. “He has elevated automotive design not just at GM, but the world over. Under his leadership, GM Design has created a stunning vehicle portfolio that customers love. His focus on the customer, keen eye for detail, and an emphasis on the future made Michael everything we could have asked for in a chief designer. He also fostered a deep, collaborative relationship with engineering and manufacturing to push the boundaries of creativity and execution. Michael and his team have cemented design as a fundamental competitive advantage for GM.
“At the same time, we’re thrilled to have Bryan step up to lead GM Design, where he will use his considerable talent and formidable leadership skills to take us into the future,” Reuss added. “He has a long history with all our brands, and a deep understanding of our customers. As seen in his recent work at Cadillac, his design statements are only getting better and bolder.”
In Other GM News: GM Defense is providing next generation Suburban Shield armored vehicles to the Qatar Armed Forces and Special Forces Command for protected diplomatic security and VIP transport.
The Suburban Shield is based on GM’s full-size pickup truck and sport utility vehicle architecture. The vehicle features a high percentage of commercial parts, including the body, exterior, propulsion, interior, and brakes.
Suburban Shield includes a new and unique body-on-frame chassis and suspension system, designed to support increased vehicle weight and performance requirements. The vehicle leverages digital engineering and GM’s global quality management system to realize efficiencies throughout the development phase while ensuring the highest levels of quality and performance.
“GM Defense’s next-generation Suburban Shield offers the Qatar Armed Forces unrivaled performance thanks to GM’s advanced technologies,” says Steve duMont, president of GM Defense. “We engineered the Suburban Shield from the ground up as a protected vehicle using GM’s world-class process and tools to deliver the reliability and quality expected from a GM vehicle. We’re confident the vehicle will help the Qatar Armed Forces effectively carry out their important diplomatic security missions and are excited to see Suburban Shield introduce a new level of sophistication to protected vehicles in the region.”
GM Defense incorporates protective armor into the original design and manufacturing process, diverging from previous after-market, tear-down and rebuild practices.
