In the upcoming 2026 season, Formula 1 will introduce 11 teams for its official line-up. Cadillac is joining the grid using General Motors engines, and WG Motorsports is backing it. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, “Today marks a transformative moment, and I am proud to lead the federation in this progressive step for the championship. The FIA Formula One Championship’s expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone.”
“GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy, aligning with the new FIA 2026 regulations and ushering in an exciting era for the sport. 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.”
This team is set up for success as Mario Andretti, the US racing legend and 1978 F1 world champion, joins the team as an advisor and a director on the board of the Cadillac F1 team. Andretti, along with other members of the team, has expressed interest in including an American driver in their lineup. He told Sky Sports News, “It’s an absolute objective to have at least one American and I think that’s what started this whole program. We’d like to begin with that and also one very experienced driver with whatever nationality.”
Even though F1 race winners Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas are prime candidates for the new team, TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss said, “I think we would love to see an American driver in Formula 1, but we certainly want to make sure we do it the right way. I think it’s crucially important that that person is set up for success. It won’t be a process of just grabbing an American and sticking him behind the wheel. We want to do it properly, and so more to come on that.”
“Certainly I think an experienced driver is crucial for setting up a new team from that standpoint, so we’re definitely looking at bringing some experience to the driver tandem. There are several American drivers who have experience in the lower Formula series. So that’s not Formula 1 but there are drivers that know the tracks and have been in the lower Formula series, and grew up there. So, we’ll work on that and we’ll see what comes up.”
The American Indycar driver, Colton Herta, is one of the top contenders for the seat. He also has a connection to this new team as his Andretti Global IndyCar team is under the same TWG Group umbrella as the Cadillac F1 program. Herta has won nine races in the series and looks to be in top form.
No matter who will fill up that seat, team principal Graeme Lowdon has hopes that the Cadillac team will rise to the occasion and “couldn’t be prouder of the effort put in thus far by the entire Cadillac Formula 1 team. This announcement is the next step in getting on the grid and continued work toward building a full-works team.”
Sources:
https://www.skysports.com/f1/news/12433/13323418/cadillac-f1-team-approved-for-2026-season-with-new-general-motors-backed-entry-to-join-as-grids-11th-outfit
https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/article/cadillac-receive-final-approval-to-join-formula-1-grid-in-2026-as-11th-team.1saxQLtLPc7k9TFl4eNrQN
