New Cadillac entry provisionally confirmed as 11th team in major F1 2026 shake-up

Formula 1 has confirmed the intention for the arrival of a new 11th team on the grid for 2026, with a Cadillac General Motors-backed entry entering the arena.

After months of speculation, a GM-backed entry, branded as Cadillac, has been confirmed as having an agreement in principle to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026.

Cadillac/General Motors set to enter Formula 1

Formula 1 is set to have a Cadillac-branded team from General Motors on the grid in 2026, following the reaching of an “agreement in principle” to support bringing GM onto the grid as an 11th team.

The saga of an 11th F1 team stems back to the end of last year when Michael Andretti’s eponymous organisation signaled its intention to enter Formula 1 and entered the formal tendering process begun by the FIA.

One of several tenders to apply for the position of a prospective 11th team, Andretti was the only applicant to pass the FIA’s stress tests and the application was forwarded to the commercial rights holder FOM for further consideration.

However, having secured the backing of US manufacturing giant General Motors, the Andretti application was, rather brutally, rejected by FOM – however, the door was left open for GM to go it alone.

In the months since the rejection, the prospective Andretti team has begun building up its facilities near Silverstone and at its US campus, while also beginning the process of recruitment for its workforce – major names like Graeme Lowdon and Pat Symonds have already committed to the project.

Andretti didn’t take the rejection lying down, going as far as US Congress to plead its case, with a resulting antitrust investigation ensuing from the US Department of Justice into the actions of Liberty Media and CEO Greg Maffei.

In September, Michael Andretti stepped down from his role as CEO of Andretti Global, with Maffei, last week, confirming he will depart his role at the end of 2024 – the end of his contract.

With GM’s involvement in the Andretti team remaining unwavering, the American giant will take the lead on the branding of the new F1 team, with the initially Andretti-led programme slowly evolving into a GM-led project with Dan Towriss at the helm.

Cadillac has confirmed Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion, will serve as a director for the F1 team.

“My first love was Formula 1 and now – 70 years later – the F1 paddock is still my happy place,” Andretti said.

“I’m absolutely thrilled with Cadillac, Formula 1, Mark Walter, and Dan Towriss. To still be involved at this stage of my life — I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

GM also intends to create its own F1 power unit to create a full works team with Cadillac, with this project set for completion by “the end of the decade”.

In a statement to media, F1 confirmed a dialogue has been maintained with GM and its partners since January and, due to the operational milestones and clear commitment, is “therefore pleased to move forward with this application process and will provide further details.”

“General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM world and is working with impressive partners,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“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 1 World Championship. All parties, including the FIA, will continue to work together to ensure the process progresses smoothly.”

Maffei welcomed the addition of such a prestigious US brand like GM, saying: “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.”

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