It’s official. General Motors are set to become the eleventh team on the F1 grid in 2026 as the sport has approved its entry.
Reputable websites broke the news over the Las Vegas GP weekend that the car brand from the US received approval.
Andretti turned down
Andretti Global had submitted a bid to enter the sport for 2026.
Although they were initially approved by the FIA, Formula One turned them down earlier in the year.
Back in May, Mario Andretti made an allegation that Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei vowed to block Andrettti’s bid to enter the sport no matter what.
It was confirmed earlier this month Maffei is leaving his position as CEO.
On the Andretti side of things, it’s believed Michael Andretti left big figures in Formula One unimpressed in the way he was trying to get his way into the sport.
The 62-year-old was extremely vocal about things.
F1 blocking the Andretti bid led to an antitrust investigation in the United States.
In September, Michael Andretti stunned the Motorsports world by confirming he would be stepping down from his leadership role at Andretti Global.
Dan Towriss took over the running of things as Andretti have multiple projects in Motorsport.
General Motors running things
After the bid was initially involving Andretti and GM’s Cadillac brand, it will only be the General Motors/Cadillac which enters F1 in 2026.
They will be a customer team until 2028, powered by Ferrari.
Over the race weekend in Vegas, team bosses were much more positive about it compared to the Andretti bid.
Greg Maffei
“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.”
Stefano Domenicali
“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 entry, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem
“General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM [original equipment manufacturing] world and is working with impressive partners.
“I am fully supportive of the efforts made by the FIA, Formula 1, GM and the team to maintain dialogue and work towards this outcome of an agreement in principle to progress this application to bring a GM/Cadillac branded team onto the grid for the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship.
“All parties, including the FIA, will continue to work together to ensure the process progresses smoothly.”
Mark Reuss, President of General Motors:
“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.”
Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsport business:
“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.’’
