Formula 1 has officially confirmed an agreement with General Motors (GM) to add an 11th team to the grid starting in 2026, with the new team likely to be branded as Cadillac. This announcement marks a significant step forward for GM’s involvement in F1, a venture that initially seemed unlikely after the bid led by Andretti Global was rejected. Just months ago, the prospect of an Andretti-led entry was dismissed by F1, but now, the project has taken shape as a fully-fledged plan for the 2026 season.
The initial rejection of Andretti Global’s bid to join the grid was rooted in concerns from F1 teams and the sport’s owners, Liberty Media. Michael Andretti, the son of 1978 world champion Mario Andretti, was particularly vocal about the situation, even criticizing the sport for its decision to block his bid. However, he stepped down from his leadership role at Andretti Global last month. Despite this, F1 has continued its dialogue with GM and its partners at TWG Global, assessing the viability of the entry.
In a press release, F1 confirmed that GM had “achieved operational milestones” and made clear its commitment to branding the new team as GM/Cadillac. GM will also enter as an engine supplier, but it will need to secure a customer deal with an existing manufacturer for its debut season in 2026, with a likely continuation in 2027. This is a major step as F1 teams had initially been lukewarm to Andretti’s proposal, especially given the lack of a significant engine supplier.
Mario Andretti, who has remained connected to the bid, was named as a director on the new team’s board, bringing continuity from the original Andretti Global proposal. In a statement, Mario expressed his excitement, saying, “My first love was Formula 1 and now – 70 years later – the F1 paddock is still my happy place. I’m absolutely thrilled with Cadillac, Formula 1, Mark Walter, and Dan Towriss.”
The addition of Cadillac to the grid is seen as a boost to F1’s growing popularity in the U.S., signaling a larger presence of American brands in the sport. While it remains uncertain whether the new team will feature an American driver, the entry creates opportunities for new and existing talent to fill two additional spots on the grid. The team’s F1 operations will primarily be based at a newly completed factory in Silverstone, near the British Grand Prix circuit, despite GM’s operations across three sites in the U.S.
Liberty Media’s Greg Maffei praised the decision, highlighting the potential for GM’s presence to attract even more interest from U.S. fans. He noted, “We have always believed that welcoming an impressive US brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport.”
Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, expressed GM’s commitment to F1, stating, “It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series… This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”
