AUSTIN, TEXAS – Lando Norris of Great Britain driving the (4) McLaren MCL60 Mercedes leads Charles … [+]
General Motors Corp. and a partner this week received formal approval to field an 11th team in Formula One next year.
FIA and Formula One Management said Friday in a statement that a GM and TWG Motorsports team have met “requirements to join the existing 10 teams starting next year.”
The new F1 team will be branded as Cadillac. It will be the first new F1 team since 2016. Each F1 team has two racing cars. GM and TWG received tentative approval in November.
“We’re thrilled the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is official, as the team has been accelerating its work,” GM President Mark Reuss said in a statement.
“Now, with 2026 in our sights after today’s final approval from the FIA and Formula One Management, we’re accelerating our efforts — expanding our facilities, refining cutting-edge technologies, and continuing to assemble top-tier talent,” Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, said in the statement.
Ferrari will supply engines for the Cadillac team in 2026. GM intends to make its own F1 engines by the end of the decade.
For Detroit-based GM, F1 presents an opportunity to market its vehicles globally. F1 conducts races globally. F1 has also expanded its presence in the United States, with three races annually – in Miami, Austin, Texas, and Las Vegas.
The final approval ends a process of twists for the automaker.
In November 2023, GM said it wanted to enter F1 in 2025 via a partnership with IndyCar race team owner Michael Andretti. But F1 rejected that bid. The racing series at that time raised doubts whether an Andretti partnership could compete.
In October, Andretti announced he was stepping down as leader of the Andretti Global racing operation. Andretti yielded management to Towriss.
That was a big disappointment for the Andretti family.
Michael Andretti drove in F1 for the McLaren team for 13 races in 1993 but was replaced after that. The F1 bid had represented to complete unfinished business. His father, driving legend Mario Andretti, was the F1 driving champion in 1978.
TWG Motorsports said it has put together of team of more than 300 people. The new team has operations in Indianapolis; Charlotte, North Carolina; Warren, Michigan; and Silverstone, England.
