General Motors Joins F1: What It Means For Cadillac And The Andrettis

Cadillac will become the 11th team on the Formula 1 grid from 2026 after Liberty Media confirmed on Monday that “an agreement in principle” had been reached with General Motors.

“General Motors and Cadillac’s commitment to this project is an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali.

“We look forward to seeing the progress and growth of this entry, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved.”

A bid for an 11th team was first put forward by Andretti Global, owned by former IndyCar and ChampCar star Michael Andretti, earlier this year.

The proposal, which included General Motors building its own power unit in 2028, was rejected.

Cadillac will instead be powered by Ferrari engines until it will develop its own power units.

“We’re excited to partner with General Motors in bringing a dynamic presence to Formula 1 Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsport business, said.

“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.’’

What does General Motors’s arrival mean for Formula 1?

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Simply put Cadillac will become the first new team on the grid since Haas made its debut back in 2016, with two more seats up for grabs.

On a broader scale, it will ensure Formula 1’s profile in the USA continues to grow even further in the coming years.

Interest in the sport, which is owned by Colorado-based Liberty Media, has soared in the past five years courtesy in no small part to Netflix’s Drive to Survive documentary.

With three races in the USA on the calendar this season and audiences growing exponentially both on TV and at the tracks, there could hardly be a better time for General Motors to make its Formula 1 bow.

“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,” said Liberty president and CEO Greg Maffei.

General Motors’ entry in Formula 1 is also a major coup for the company, which has stolen a march on arch-rival Ford on motorsport’s biggest stage. Ford will build Red Bull’s engines from 2026, but it will not have its own team.

Why was Andretti’s original bid rejected?

Back in May, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem suggested Andretti should focus on buying an existing team, rather than setting up a new one due to soaring costs under the new Concorde Agreement.

Signed between the FIA – motorsport’s governing body – the Formula 1 teams and the Formula 1 Group – which is owned by Liberty Media and effectively controls the sport – the agreement dictates the terms by which the teams compete in races, and how the television revenues and prize money is shared.

Under the current terms of the deal, up to 12 teams can be allowed on the grid with newcomers facing a $200m fee to offset the dilution of prize money, which will then be redistributed across the other 10 teams.

But Ben Sulayem warned the fee could rise to $600m once the new terms of the agreement have been negotiated.

“We have to have a balance. Is $200m too low? I believe $600m is something where it is right for the current market,” he told Reuters.

“I would advise them [Andretti] to go and buy another team, not to come as the 11th team.

“I feel that some teams need to be refreshed.

His message was echoed by Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who at the Monaco Grand Prix in May suggested the “natural solution” would be for Andretti to buy one of the existing teams.

But the dynamic in the paddock appears to have significantly shifted over the past six months.

“If General Motors decides to come in as a team owner, that is a different story,” Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said in Las Vegas last week.

“And as long as it is creative, that means we’re growing the popularity of the sport, we’re growing the revenue of the sport, then no team will be ever against it.”

Is the Andretti family part of General Motors’ bid?

Michael Andretti led the initial bid but has since stepped back from the project, with Dan Towriss taking over.

The latter is the CEO of TWG Global, a holding which, according to General Motors, “owns and operates” Andretti Global.

The Andretti family will also be involved in some capacity, with Mario Andretti, Michael’s father and the last American to win the Formula 1 world drivers’ title, to serve as the team’s director.

“My first love was Formula 1, and now – 70 years later – the F1 paddock is still my happy place,” the 84-year-old said in the press release announcing the deal.

“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.”

What is General Motors’ record in racing?

While this represents General Motors’ Formula 1 debut, the company is by far the most successful marque in the history of American motorsports through its Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick and Oldsmobile brands.

Chevrolet featured in the inaugural Indianapolis 500 and has won the race 13 times, taking out the NASCAR manufacturers’ title 43 times, 26 more than second-placed Ford.

In total, General Motors’ brands have won over 1,000 races in the NASCAR Cup Series and their success has also translated overseas, with Corvette claiming nine class wins at the historic 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Formula 1, however, represents an altogether different challenge and an altogether different opportunity for General Motors on what is arguably the biggest stage in the world of motorsports.