World motorsport’s governing body, the FIA, has been keen to see an 11th team on the Formula 1 grid for some time. However, F1 repeatedly rejected the bid from Andretti Global, partnered with General Motors (GM), to join the sport from 2025. An agreement has now been reached, and GM will bring the Cadillac name to F1 as new technical regulations reset the field in 2026.

Cadillac will build its own car from day one and plans to develop its own engines “by the end of the decade.” In the interim, the Cadillac F1 team will use customer engines – most likely from Ferrari or Honda – during its first few seasons. The Andretti Global operation has been preparing for its F1 entry by establishing and expanding engineering bases in the USA and the UK, conducting wind tunnel tests, and recently hiring former Renault F1 engine boss Rob White as its Chief Operating Officer.

However, the Andretti name will not headline the entry as the first new team to join the sport in a decade. A statement from F1 highlights the “commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac,” indicating that the new operation will be a fully-fledged works team under a single name, rather than a jointly branded venture between a team and a manufacturer.

In the wake of the Andretti-Cadillac bid being rejected, Andretti Global has undergone management changes. The firm is now owned by TWG Global, and Michael Andretti is no longer at the helm. The new team will, however, feature Mario Andretti – the last American F1 champion – as a member of its board of directors.

The stonewalling of the Andretti-Cadillac bid was reportedly influenced by Liberty Media’s CEO, Greg Maffei, who is stepping down at the end of 2024. With this obstacle removed, the path is now clear for the US team to join the sport.

As the politics fade into the background, attention turns to expanding the F1 field from 20 to 22 cars as the sport enters its next era. The new regulations promise smaller, more powerful cars with active aerodynamics. For fans worldwide, the arrival of a new team brings excitement. For GM and Cadillac, it offers a stage to prove themselves in the fight for Formula 1 victories.