F1 greenlights General Motors and Cadillac’s 2026 entry ??

通用汽车 (GM), in partnership with TWG Global, has reached an agreement in principle to bring a Cadillac-branded team to the Formula 1 grid starting in 2026. This ambitious move marks the latest step in GM's long and complex journey towards entering the world’s most prestigious motorsport.

A long journey to Formula 1

Initially, GM’s attempt to join F1 was tied to Andretti Global, led by racing icon Mario Andretti. Together, they sought to secure a spot on the grid with strong backing from both fans and industry experts. However, the bid was rejected by F1’s commercial rights holder, Liberty Media, leading to significant controversy, particularly within the U.S. Congress. A group of a dozen U.S. lawmakers formally raised concerns over what they perceived as potentially anti-competitive actions preventing American companies like Andretti Global and GM from competing in F1. The letter highlighted the need for greater transparency in how decisions affecting the sport’s entry requirements were being made. This resulted in the U.S. Department of Justice launching an investigation into Liberty Media’s rejection of the Andretti bid, exploring whether there had been anti-trust violations tied to the decision.

GM shifts strategy with TWG Global partnership

GM recalibrated its approach and formed a new partnership with TWG Global to bring a Cadillac-branded team to F1 in 2026. While the Andretti name will not be directly associated with the team, Andretti Global’s deep expertise in motorsport will play a vital role in helping the team establish itself on the grid.

A statement from F1 read, "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 [to reject Andretti-Cadillac] made by Formula 1 in January 2024”

Greg Maffei, President and CEO of Liberty Media:

“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.”

What lies ahead for GM and Cadillac in F1

The team is set to begin as a customer operation, most likely using Ferrari engines for the first two years, as they will need a reliable engine supplier for their entry. This differs from the initial Andretti bid, which had been planning to rely on a Renault engine deal for the short term. However, Renault recently announced that it would no longer be producing F1 engines and would instead transition to being a customer team, leaving Andretti Global without an engine supplier. This strategic shift by Renault opened up the door for GM to partner with Ferrari for engine supply in the early years.

Looking ahead, GM has long-term plans to transition into a full work-team, with ambitions to power the Cadillac team with its own in-house engines starting in 2028. This aligns with GM’s broader goals of advancing technologies in both internal combustion engines and electric powertrains, as well as strengthening its capabilities in software and digital systems development within the motorsport arena.

To secure an 11th spot on the grid, GM and TWG Global will pay a hefty anti-dilution fee of $450 million to the existing 10 teams. This financial commitment was reported by the BBC and aims to ensure that the current teams are compensated for the dilution of the prize pool caused by the new entry.

For Liberty Media, the decision to partner with Cadillac rather than Andretti Global holds clear strategic appeal. The Cadillac brand, with its deep roots in American automotive history and global recognition, offers more significant potential to help F1 expand its reach in the U.S. market—particularly as American motorsport fans are traditionally more attracted to NASCAR than F1. By aligning with a premium, well-established American brand like Cadillac, F1 can tap into a broader American audience, generating more viewership and, by extension, more revenue.

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?More information: Statement on General Motors application to join FIA Formula One World Championship in 2026 | Formula 1?

?Press Release: General Motors launches Cadillac Formula 1 Team and power unit