► New team to race under an Andretti Cadillac banner
► Likely to buy in a power unit in the short term
► Unconfirmed as to when it will join the line-up
Andretti Global and General Motors have confirmed that the two companies are joining forces to pursue entry into Formula 1 in the coming years.
The two companies say they will race under the Cadillac brand if they get places on the grid in future seasons, with Michael Andretti, chairman and CEO of Andretti Global, saying his company is ‘already hiring’ staff to start development of a future F1 team.
This new Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the US, at Andretti’s home in Indiana, with a ‘support facility’ in the UK. ‘I’m really proud to be able to be partnered with a fellow American company in this pursuit,’ says Michael Andretti in a virtual press conference, ‘GM and Andretti both have a strong history in racing and I believe together, we have a lot to offer.’
Strategically, this has benefits for both parties on the global stage. While it already races in IMSA, GM is busy building Cadillac’s global image after it recently announced its WEC entry in 2023, too. We recently reported that GM would re-enter Europe as an EV-only proposition with its myriad brands, including Cadillac and its new Lyriq. As for Andretti Global, even its CEO admits it needs the backing of GM to have enough weight to throw around to entice the FIA to approve entry, and the fact that ‘GM has great resources, and its people are ready – that’s going to help us move quicker.’
‘Cadillac is one of the fastest growing luxury brands right now,’ says GM president, Mark Reuss, ‘and by racing in IMSA, WEC and Formula 1, we’ll have the opportunity to showcase its innovation and technology, going up against the best international luxury brands.’
Actual details about the logistics of the entry are currently thin, given the announcement is merely a statement of intent to join the sport (unlike Audi, which recently announced its full plan to enter in 2026). When the team would actually join, or what power unit would be used are unconfirmed; ‘exactly when is going to depend on the expression of interest and how long that takes, but we are going to be on track as soon as it makes sense to be,’ says Andretti. As for the power unit, Reuss says: ‘we’ve signed an agreement with a power unit supplier to begin with. Then, as we move forward, we can bring a lot of our expertise to create things in the future.’
As for who will be driving for the Andretti Cadillac team: ‘we definitely want to make this an all-American effort,’ says Andretti, ‘making sure we have an American driver in the seat.’