The Cadillac brand of General Motors Co. in Detroit will make its long-awaited debut in the Formula 1 World Championship in 2026, the automaker announced Monday. Cadillac Formula 1 will be the first new team to join F1 since 2016 and the 11th team on the grid.
The GM entry, originally a partnership with the Andretti Global operation headed by Michael Andretti, will use Ferrari engines for the 2026 and 2027 seasons before installing its own power unit for the 2028 campaign when the cars are expected to be 50-50 hybrids.
“As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor 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,” says Mark Reuss, president of GM. “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”
GM’s F1 effort now is a partnership with TWG Global, which after years of political wrangling, took over ownership of Andretti Global after Michael Andretti stepped down from company leadership paving the way for the F1 ownership group to approve the team’s entry into its ranks.
“We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1,” says Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsports businesses. “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world. We appreciate FIA and FOM’s support of our application and their recognition of the value we can bring to the championship.’’
Racing legend Mario Andretti, the last American F1 champion and father of Michael Andretti, will serve as a director on the team’s board.
“My first love was Formula 1 and now – 70 years later – the F1 paddock is still my happy place,” says the elder Andretti. “I’m absolutely thrilled with Cadillac, Formula 1, Mark Walter, and Dan Towriss. To still be involved at this stage of my life — I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
GM says it expects the innovations created for F1 to contribute to the automaker’s push to drive the future of transportation, using advanced electrification, powertrain, software, and internal combustion engine technology for consumers around the globe.
Launching an F1 team also will highlight the Cadillac brand to a diverse international audience, showcasing GM’s technology and design capabilities, GM says. Cadillac already participates in global endurance sportscar racing.
Since GM’s bid to join F1 was announced in January 2023, Cadillac Formula 1 says it has assembled an experienced team to work on aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software, and vehicle dynamics simulation.
The team has operations in Warren; Fishers, Ind.; Charlotte, N.C.; and Silverstone, England.
