Cadillac will be the newest addition to the 2026 grid after being officially announced as the eleventh team. The team will be backed by TWG Motorsports and General Motors (GM), the American outfit is assembling a formidable structure, with its headquarters in Fishers, Indianapolis, and additional facilities in Charlotte, Warren, and Silverstone.
Cadillac has chosen Silverstone as its European base. Graeme Lowdon, team principal, shared this decision. He discussed it in a recent sitdown with Matt Bishop.
Despite its firm American identity, Cadillac F1 has opted for a base in Silverstone, an F1 stronghold with immense racing heritage and access to top-tier talent. When probed why Silverstone was chosen as their base, Lowdon emphasized that while the team is unequivocally American, the European presence is a strategic necessity.
“Formula One is a global sport, but make no mistake, this is an American team. It will race under an American flag,” Lowdon clarified.
However, practicality has been a major factor in the Silverstone decision.
“But also looking at the practicalities of competing in F1, it does make sense to have a European base and we’ve chosen Silverstone for that base and there’s a number of reasons that fed into that, but not least of which is access to experienced talent,” he explained.
With many seasoned professionals embedded in the Silverstone motorsport ecosystem, setting up operations there allows Cadillac to tap into F1’s deep-rooted expertise without delay.
Cadillac will be basing their wind tunnel services in Cologne
The Silverstone facility will also serve as Cadillac’s European logistics hub, crucial for managing non-flyaway races. Lowdon noted that this was a logical step given the demands of the F1 calendar. Like many teams on the grid, Cadillac will also be basing their F1 operations in the U.K.
“Every team has a logistics hub in Europe for supporting races that are not structured for flyaway freight. But we will also have a small manufacturing facility at Silverstone, which is primarily making the components for the wind tunnel model,” he said.
Additionally, a dedicated manufacturing unit will be established to produce wind tunnel components, a move that aligns seamlessly with Cadillac’s agreement to utilize the Cologne wind tunnel for aerodynamic testing.
“We will also have a small manufacturing facility at Silverstone, primarily making the components for the wind tunnel model. The wind tunnel that we’re using is in Cologne, and it makes sense to have the manufacturing capability for that in a location that’s a little bit nearer than Indianapolis,” Lowdon added.
Cadillac’s operational blueprint is built on a tri-continental foundation, Silverstone for European logistics, Indianapolis as the primary headquarters, and Charlotte, where GM’s Technical Center is located, serving as another vital hub.
The former Marussia CEO highlighted the significance of this approach, saying:
“One thing that I think is quite is to have a team that has these three legs on the stool. One is in Charlotte, which is kind of the capital of NASCAR. One is in Indianapolis, which is the capital of IndyCar. And the other is in Silverstone, which is the home of Formula One.”
Lowdon believes every Cadillac F1 team location is buzzing with excitement. Surrounded by motor racing DNA, he finds GM especially appealing.
General Motors’ full-scale commitment
Unlike past F1 ventures that focused on branding, Cadillac’s entry is driven by engineering. It is deeply connected to General Motors’ racing pedigree. When questioned about GM’s inversion and involvement, Lowdon stressed that GM’s role extends far beyond just putting its name on the car.
“One of the things I’ve found with working with GM over the last couple of years is, they’re proper racers,” he said.
GM has extensive racing experience across sports cars, NASCAR, and IndyCar. Their technical expertise is proving invaluable to the F1 project.
“There’s not a weekend that goes by where there isn’t some racing going on that they’re involved with. And they’re proper racers. I find it extremely comfortable dealing with them because they understand racing, they understand what it takes to be successful,” Lowdon stated.
Cadillac’s F1 powertrains will come from Ferrari at first, but GM is already laying the groundwork for its own. Over the coming years, the team will transition to a full-fledged GM Performance Power Unit. Lowdon stressed that GM’s vast technical expertise is being leveraged to ensure a competitive edge. He highlighted its deep involvement in the process.
“We as a team would be foolish not to draw upon their knowledge and experience. And the opportunity to do that, I think, is one of the key motivations behind their involvement,” he noted.
Beyond just boardroom backing, GM’s immersion in the project extends to peer-to-peer collaboration between its engineers and F1 specialists.
“F1 is a very technical sport, so peer-to-peer communication between engineers and specialists is super important. And at that level, I’m extremely happy with how that’s progressing,” Lowdon added.
Lowdon shares Cadillac’s vision for F1
With its foundations now firmly in place, Cadillac F1 is accelerating its preparations for the 2026 debut. The state-of-the-art facility in Fishers is nearing completion. Lowdon eager to showcase its scale and ambition.
“The headquarters of the team is Fishers in Indianapolis, and that’s where the team will be centred. We’re building a very impressive facility at Fishers at the moment, which is quite advanced,” he revealed.
Lowdon highlighted the team’s progress, emphasizing their advanced infrastructure. “The headquarters at Fishers is a real state-of-the-art facility”.
He added that construction was well underway. Lowdon assured, “We will be desperate to show it off when it opens.”
As the team continues to expand, integrating expertise from Silverstone, Charlotte, and Indianapolis, it is clear that Cadillac F1 is stepping into the sport with a meticulously planned, long-term vision.
A fully operational factory team by the decade’s end is the ultimate goal. With GM’s full-fledged support, the pieces are coming together for what could be one of the most intriguing F1 projects in years.
