Formula 1 has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors to bring Cadillac to the F1 grid in 2026 as its 11th team, but without the Andretti name on the entry.
The move follows the rejection by F1 of GM’s original bid in January, which was partnered with the Andretti Global organization. That led to conflict between F1 and team figurehead Michael Andretti over the Andretti family taking the case to US Congress, which led to an antitrust investigation by the Department of Justice.
But Michael Andretti announced he was stepping back from the team in September, allowing Group 1001 CEO Dan Towriss to take over control.
Towriss is now using TWG Global, a holding company led by businessman and philanthropist Mark Walter, as the ‘partner’ for the GM entry – effectively the same team under an Andretti-less name. Walter is the CEO of Guggenheim Capital, a diversified financial services firm with more than $340 billion in assets under management. According to Forbes, Walter is worth $6 billion.
Formula 1 stated it was “pleased to move forward with this application process and will provide further updates in due course” after the entity “achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time”.
It is understood that GM will build its own F1 engine for the 2028 season, meaning it will require a customer power unit from 2026.
“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,” said Greg Maffei, President and CEO of F1’s owner Liberty Media.
“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.”
Mark Reuss, President of General Motors, stated: “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.”
Towriss, who is CEO of TWG Global’s motorsport business, added: “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.”
On social media, Michael Andretti showed no hard feelings and wrote: “The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team. I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!”
Mario Andretti, the last American F1 world champion in 1978, will serve as a director on the team’s board.
