Cadillac has been vying for a spot on the Formula One grid since announcing its intentions in a joint venture with TWG. That ambition has now become a reality as Cadillac officially announced the launch of its F1 program, taking the luxury marque onto a global stage for the FIA Formula One World Championship in 2026.
The announcement comes after the Las Vegas Grand Prix played out just last weekend, where racing phenomenon Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive championship title. Cadillac hopes to replicate that success with motorsports CEO Dan Towriss at the helm. In fact, Cadillac is already registered as a power unit manufacturer and will source power units from a third party (Ferrari) until it’s in a position to build its own. The luxury marque is on track to begin producing engines in-house by 2028, making Cadillac a “full works” team by the end of the decade.
“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,” said GM President Mark Reuss in a statement. “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”
The luxury marque already has a team in place to work on aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software, and vehicle dynamics simulation. It’s currently operating in a number of places around the U.S. and the U.K.:
- USA
- Fishers, Indiana
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Warren, Michigan
- UK
- Silverstone, England (a staple location for racing)
Mario Andretti may not see the family name appear next to Cadillac on the pole position leaderboard, but the F1 legend will assume post 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. I’m absolutely thrilled with Cadillac, Formula 1, Mark Walter, and Dan Towriss,” Andretti said. “To still be involved at this stage of my life – I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”
Towriss chimed in with similar sentiment. “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 FIA and FOM’s support of our application and their recognition of the value we can bring to the championship.”
As to who will be driving for the American entry, mystery looms. Cadillac will announce the F1 team’s driver roster at a later date.
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Chris+Cummings
Why not just put the money into building beautiful, elegant luxury cars like Cadillac used to be known for? They whine about how they couldn’t afford to keep building the original Blackwing V-8 or the CT-6 (in America) or bring the Sixteen to production. But they’re so eager to pour zillions down the bottomless hole that is Formula 1. They must know so much more than I do.