Cadillac has been formally approved to join Formula 1 as the 11th team on the grid from next year.
The team secured an agreement ‘in principle’ in November last year, following a joint offer from General Motors in partnership with TWG Motorsports (the parent company of Andretti Global), but F1 and the FIA officially confirmed today that Cadillac has met all the requirements to join the expanded grid next season.
CEO and President of Formula 1 Stefano Domenicali said: “As we said in November, the commitment by General Motors to bring a Cadillac team to Formula 1 was an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport.
“I want to thank GM and TWG Motorsports for their constructive engagement over many months and look forward to welcoming the team on the grid from 2026 for what will be another exciting year for Formula 1.”
It has been confirmed that Cadillac will race with a Ferrari power unit from its first Formula 1 season, until it becomes a full works team and develops its own engine – something that the American outfit has committed to achieving by 2030.
An engine company to develop its first F1 power unit has already been set up by GM.
“For the past year, we have worked hand in hand with GM, to lay a robust foundation for an extraordinary Formula 1 entry,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports. “Now, with 2026 in our sights after today’s final approval from the FIA and Formula One Management, we’re accelerating our efforts—expanding our facilities, refining cutting-edge technologies, and continuing to assemble top-tier talent.”
Cadillac’s journey to Formula 1
Formula 1 rejected an initial bid from Andretti to join the grid in 2024, stating that the team “would not on its own add value”. However, they did not rule out the possibility that Andretti may join in 2028 with a GM power unit.
Therefore, it is likely that GM’s commitment to providing its own power unit before the end of the decade, as well as its current powertrain deal with an existing F1 manufacturer, played a crucial role in F1’s decision.
Former Marussia boss Graeme Lowdon was announced as team principal for Cadillac in December last year. “I couldn’t be prouder of the effort put in thus far by the entire Cadillac Formula 1 team,” he said. “This announcement is the next step in getting on the grid and continued work toward building a full-works team.”
It was also confirmed that Mario Andretti, 1978 Formula 1 World Champion, will serve as an advisor to the team.
With this new addition, the 2026 season will see 22 drivers compete for the Formula 1 world championship, and Cadillac will join Haas as one of two American teams on the grid.
