Formula 1 announced Monday that it has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to support bringing GM/Cadillac as the eleventh team to the Formula 1 grid in 2026.
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. 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”.
According to US media reports , “later time” means that the team will use Ferrari engines for its first two years until GM has a Cadillac engine built for competition in time for the 2028 season.
“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. This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level,” GM president Mark Reuss commented.
Per Associated Press, the agreement ends years of wrangling that launched a U.S. Justice Department investigation into why Colorado-based Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, would not approve the team initially started by Michael Andretti.
Greg Maffei, president and CEO of Liberty Media, noted: “With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the US, 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. We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1. We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026.”
Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsport business, stated: “We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1. 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 the FIA and FOM’s support of our application and their recognition of the value we can bring to the championship.’’
Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula 1, added: “General Motors and Cadillac’s commitment to this project is an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport. We look forward to seeing the progress and growth of this application, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved.”
