Formula 1 officially approves Cadillac as new American team starting in 2026

#12 Cadillac Hertz Team Jota USA) Cadillac V-Series.R Hypercar) driven by Alex Lynn GBR) / William Stevens GBR) / Norman Nato FRA), during the 1812KM of Qatar first round of the 2025 FIA WEC Championship at Losail International Circuit from February 26 to 28, 2025 in Qatar.

Laurent Cartalade | Just Pictures | Sipa USA | AP

It’s official: The Cadillac Formula 1 Team will join the grid next year, gaining final approval from F1 and its governing body on Friday.

The GM-backed American team secured conditional approval last fall. Now, the sport says it has met the necessary requirements to become the 11th team competing on the racetrack.

“The FIA Formula One Championship’s expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone. GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy,” FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said in a statement. “The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s presence in the paddock will inspire future competitors and fans. Their entry strengthens our mission to push motorsport’s boundaries at the highest level.”

The team is a product of a partnership between GM and Cadillac, which will build the power unit, and TWG Motorsports, the parent company of Andretti Global, to build the cars.

In a statement, Cadillac F1 said the veteran Formula 1 team executive Graeme Lowdon will serve as its team principal.

Russ O’Blenes has been announced as CEO of TWG GM Performance Power Units which is tasked with making Cadillac F1 a “full-works team” in the coming years.

The team struck a deal to use Ferrari engines when it launches.

Driver Jack Aiken of Whelen Cadillac racing (31) gets out of the drivers seat during the Rolex 24 hour race at the Dayton International Speedway.

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The 2025 Formula 1 season begins next week. The entry of Cadillac F1 will align with a new set of regulations starting in 2026 that is expected to scramble the field, with each team effectively starting from scratch when building their challengers.

“For the past years, we have worked hand in hand with GM, to lay a robust foundation for an extraordinary F1 entry,” said Dan Towriss, the CEO of TWG Motorsports. “Now, with 2026 in our sights after today’s final approval from the FIA and Formula 1, we’re accelerating our efforts — expanding our facilities, refining cutting-edge technologies and continuing to assemble top-tier talent.”

GM President Mark Reuss said in a statement that the move brings the Michigan-based manufacturer “closer to showcasing GM’s engineering expertise on the prestigious global stage of F1.”

Mario Andretti, the former F1 world champion, was announced earlier as an adviser to the new team on driver selection and technical issues, among other things.

“From our standpoint, I think the play at the beginning would be to have one experienced driver — nationality doesn’t matter — and then a young American talent,” Andretti Andretti told NBC News in November. “These are the objectives at the moment.”