General Motors Secures Agreement for 2026 Formula 1 Entry

US automotive giant General Motors has reached an agreement in principle to join Formula 1 in 2026, with a new team to be branded under its luxury Cadillac marque. A statement issued on Monday indicated that GM, alongside its US partner TWG Global, has pledged to establish a new team bearing the name of GM’s luxury Cadillac brand and to develop its own engine “at a later time.” Formula 1 confirmed that the application process would “move forward.” Greg Maffei, who serves as president and chief executive officer of Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder for F1, stated: “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.” He added: “We credit the leadership of General Motors and their partners with significant progress in their readiness to enter Formula 1.” Maffei further commented: “We are excited to move forward with the application process for the GM/Cadillac team to enter the Championship in 2026.” Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, Formula 1’s governing body, remarked: “General Motors is a huge global brand and powerhouse in the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) world and is working with impressive partners.” He continued: “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.” Ben Sulayem concluded: “All parties, including the FIA, will continue to work together to ensure the process progresses smoothly.” According to senior sources within F1 who spoke to BBC Sport, GM and TWG are expected to pay an anti-dilution fee amounting to $450m (£358m) to finalize their entry. This sum will be distributed among the current 10 teams as recompense for the reduction in prize money they will experience, given that F1’s income will now be divided among 11 entities instead of 10. Collectively, the teams receive approximately 63% of F1’s total income. This figure surpasses the $200m anti-dilution amount stipulated by current F1 regulations; however, the agreements between the teams, F1, and the FIA are set to conclude after 2025 and are currently under renegotiation for the 2026 season. The fee is anticipated to increase further in these forthcoming agreements. The Cadillac team will be required to procure a customer engine from an existing supplier to bridge the period until its proprietary engine is completed, a development not anticipated before 2028. While discussions remain ongoing, Ferrari is currently considered the most likely supplier. The Italian squad will have surplus capacity from 2026 because one of its two current customer teams, Sauber, is transitioning to become Audi’s official entry, with the German automotive firm developing its own engine for this purpose. This new Cadillac entry represents a revised version of the Andretti bid, which F1 declined in January. At that time, F1 stated its belief that the Andretti project, undertaken in collaboration with Cadillac, would not contribute additional value to the sport. This updated proposal is perceived differently due to GM’s direct involvement as a team owner. The forthcoming team will operate as a collaborative venture between GM and TWG, with Dan Towriss, who owns the US team Andretti Global, and TWG’s Mark Walter serving as additional principal investors. Towriss attended the recent Las Vegas Grand Prix, where he was engaged with this new initiative. Michael Andretti, a co-founder of the team bearing his name, is no longer participating, having resigned from his position at Andretti Global in September. The former IndyCar and F1 driver was considered a contentious personality, having alienated some with what was perceived as his aggressive strategy to gain an entry. Formula 1 is currently subject to an inquiry by the US Department of Justice regarding its decision to decline Andretti’s initial application. Mario Andretti, Michael’s father and the 1978 Formula 1 world champion, is slated to participate in an advisory role. The 84-year-old posted on X, stating: “Feel very lucky that I’ve been able to stick around for this long and do what I love for so long. “And the idea that the Cadillac F1 Team wants me around… I’ll help where I can, a non-executive role with the team, not involved in day-to-day operations (because I don’t want a job), but offering advice, inspiration, friendship anywhere I can. I am beyond fortunate.” GM’s participation will increase the count of automotive manufacturers producing engines for F1 to six, joining Mercedes, Ferrari, Ford, Honda, and Audi. Ford, Audi, GM, and Honda have all been convinced to engage in F1 starting in 2026, prompted by new engine regulations that elevate the hybrid component’s contribution to approximately 50% of the overall power output. Honda, currently partnered with Red Bull in F1, had previously declared intentions to withdraw but reversed its stance due to the new rules’ relevance to road car technology. It has secured an exclusive engine supply agreement with Aston Martin commencing in 2026. Ford, Audi, and now GM are all newcomers to the sport. Ford is collaborating with Red Bull on the development of a new engine. Alpine, the sports car brand owned by Renault, will continue its presence in F1, but is discontinuing its engine development program; its team will utilize Mercedes customer engines from 2026. Zak Brown, chief executive of McLaren Racing, commented: “Exciting times ahead with the news of Cadillac joining the Formula 1 grid as the 11th team in 2026.” He added: “Their rich history and experience in automotive innovation and performance will no doubt add a new dimension to our incredible sport. Looking forward to the competition!”