Cadillac

Cadillac earned its place in Formula 1 not through results on track, but through more than two years of efforts to secure a spot on the grid. The American manufacturer, part of General Motors, announced its intention to enter the championship in January 2023, joining forces with Andretti Global. After its application was initially rejected, the project came under the leadership of TWG Motorsports and received final approval in March 2025 to enter Formula 1 the following season. Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas became Cadillac F1 Team's first drivers, while Graeme Lowdon took charge as team principal. By the end of 2025, the team's focus had been primarily on building its technical infrastructure, developing its car and laying the groundwork for its own engine programme.

Andretti and Cadillac: The beginnings of an American Formula 1 project

The history of Cadillac F1 began on 5 January 2023, when Andretti Global and General Motors announced their joint intention to enter Formula 1. Named Andretti Cadillac, the project aimed to establish a new American team to join the world championship's existing competitors.

The driving force behind the original project was Michael Andretti, the former Formula 1 driver and owner of the successful Andretti Global racing organisation. The American had been pursuing an entry into the championship before announcing the partnership with General Motors, but the backing of a major manufacturer significantly strengthened his bid.

Cadillac was to provide the project with technical resources and a strong automotive brand. General Motors already had extensive experience in American motorsport and, through Cadillac, also competed in endurance racing, including the World Endurance Championship and the American IMSA series.

Formula 1's growing popularity in the United States was another important argument in its favour. The championship had expanded its calendar to include races in Miami and Las Vegas, creating more favourable conditions for another American manufacturer to enter.

However, Andretti Cadillac faced complications from the outset. Formula 1 had ten established teams, and admitting another entrant required sporting, technical, financial and commercial conditions to be met.

The first significant breakthrough came on 2 October 2023. Motorsport's governing body, the FIA, announced that the Andretti Cadillac project had met its requirements and could progress to the next stage of assessment.

FIA approval did not, however, automatically grant permission to compete in Formula 1. The final decision also depended on a commercial assessment by the championship's rights holder.

Formula 1 rejected Andretti Cadillac's entry in 2024

The start of 2024 brought a major setback for the project. On 31 January, Formula 1 announced that it had rejected Andretti Formula Racing's application to enter the championship.

Formula 1's management primarily cited doubts about the new team's competitiveness and its ability to bring sufficient commercial value to the championship. Its concerns also covered the costs of expanding the grid and the potential impact on existing competitors.

The decision prompted a strong reaction within American motorsport. Michael Andretti publicly expressed his disappointment, and his organisation continued its preparations despite having no guaranteed place in Formula 1.

Gradually, however, the project's ownership and organisational structure began to change. Michael Andretti stepped back from the day-to-day running of Andretti Global in autumn 2024, while businessman Dan Towriss, who headed investment group TWG's motorsport activities, began to play an increasingly prominent role.

General Motors remained a key partner, reaffirming its interest in building its own works Formula 1 programme.

A decisive turning point came on 25 November 2024, when Formula 1 announced an agreement in principle to admit GM/Cadillac as the championship's 11th team.

Compared with the original proposal, the new project placed greater emphasis on General Motors and TWG Motorsports. The American manufacturer's commitment to developing its own power unit was also an important factor.

General Motors president Mark Reuss and businessman Dan Towriss played significant roles in securing support for the new team. Mario Andretti, the 1978 Formula 1 world champion, also became part of the organisational structure, taking a seat on the project's board.

By the end of 2024, Cadillac therefore had the backing of Formula 1's commercial management and could push ahead fully with preparations for its entry into the championship.

Cadillac secured final approval to enter F1 in March 2025

The decisive moment came on 7 March 2025. The FIA and Formula 1 jointly confirmed that the application from General Motors and TWG Motorsports had successfully completed all the necessary approval processes.

Cadillac F1 Team had officially secured its place as Formula 1's 11th team from the 2026 season.

It was a significant moment for the American automotive industry. Cadillac was set to make its first appearance in the Formula 1 World Championship as a constructor in its own right, while General Motors was also preparing to develop its own power units.

Cadillac became the first entirely new team admitted to the championship since 2016, when American outfit Haas made its Formula 1 debut. Unlike projects based on buying an existing team, Cadillac was building its racing organisation from scratch.

Official approval allowed the team to accelerate recruitment, expand its technical infrastructure and develop its relationships with suppliers.

In May 2025, Cadillac unveiled its logo and visual identity during the Miami Grand Prix weekend. The event marked the new team's first major public presentation since its entry into the championship had been definitively confirmed.

The American manufacturer was not relying solely on the recognition of its brand. The project aimed to create a technically independent team that could gradually become capable of challenging the established outfits.

Graeme Lowdon, Nick Chester and Cadillac's technical leadership

Building a new Formula 1 team required experienced specialists who understood both how the championship operated and the demands of developing modern F1 cars.

One of the most significant appointments was Graeme Lowdon. The British executive was named team principal in December 2024, taking responsibility for its day-to-day operations.

Lowdon had experience of building new teams, having previously been involved in Virgin Racing's entry into Formula 1 in 2010. He later also held management roles at Marussia and Manor.

Dan Towriss played a significant role in establishing Cadillac, overseeing the project's strategic direction and its partnership with General Motors.

On the technical side, the team turned to Nick Chester, the former Renault technical director, who became the new outfit's technical chief. His task was to co-ordinate car development and build an effective technical organisation.

Another experienced figure was Pat Symonds, who had previously worked for Benetton, Renault and Williams, as well as within Formula 1's own technical operation. He joined the Cadillac project as executive engineering consultant.

Cadillac began establishing technical facilities on both sides of the Atlantic. Its base at Silverstone in Britain took on an important role, housing part of the car development programme and preparations for the race team.

Meanwhile, work was under way on a new headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, in the United States. Further technical operations were being developed in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Warren, Michigan.

This combination of European Formula 1 experience and American technical and financial resources became one of the project's foundations.

Ferrari to supply Cadillac F1 engines as General Motors develops its own power unit

One of the most important questions facing the new team was its choice of engine supplier. Although General Motors had announced its intention to develop its own power unit, doing so required substantial technical investment and several years of development.

Cadillac therefore decided to work with Ferrari initially. In December 2024, the Italian team confirmed an agreement to supply power units and gearboxes from the 2026 season.

The partnership was intended to allow the American team to focus on developing its own car and building its racing organisation without having to complete its own engine immediately.

Development of the General Motors power unit continued in parallel. GM Performance Power Units was established for this purpose as a joint venture between General Motors and TWG Motorsports.

Russ O'Blenes, an experienced specialist in high-performance engine development and automotive technology, was appointed to lead the engine project.

In April 2025, the FIA officially approved GM Performance Power Units as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer, with supplies scheduled to begin in 2029.

Cadillac's aim was to evolve into a fully fledged works team, controlling the development of both its car and its power unit.

This operating model is extremely demanding, both technically and financially. However, developing its own power unit can give a manufacturer greater independence and the ability to tailor the car's design to the engine's requirements.

Cadillac therefore continued developing its first car through the end of 2025, knowing it would use Ferrari technology during the initial phase.

Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas: Cadillac F1's first driver line-up

Choosing its drivers was one of the new team's most important personnel decisions. Cadillac needed drivers who could not only deliver results but also provide high-quality technical feedback to support car development.

Several experienced and young drivers were linked with the team during the opening months of 2025. Cadillac's management ultimately opted for a pairing who had already enjoyed successful spells with leading teams.

On 26 August 2025, Cadillac officially announced the signings of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas. Both signed multi-year contracts, becoming the first drivers in the American team's history.

Mexico's Sergio Pérez had many years of Formula 1 experience behind him. After starting out at Sauber, spending a brief spell at McLaren and enjoying successful seasons with Force India and Racing Point, he joined Red Bull Racing in 2021.

It was with Red Bull that he achieved the greatest successes of his career. He took five of his six Formula 1 victories with the team and finished second in the 2023 drivers' standings behind team-mate Max Verstappen.

After a disappointing 2024 campaign, Pérez left Red Bull and did not race in Formula 1 during the 2025 season.

Valtteri Bottas brought similarly extensive experience. The Finn made his debut with Williams in 2013 and joined Mercedes for the 2017 season, becoming Lewis Hamilton's team-mate.

He claimed ten grand prix victories with Mercedes and helped the team win five constructors' championships. He finished runner-up in the drivers' world championship in 2019 and 2020.

After leaving Mercedes, he raced for Alfa Romeo and Sauber. He spent the 2025 season as Mercedes' reserve driver, preparing for a return to a race seat after his Cadillac deal was announced.

At the time their signings were announced, Pérez and Bottas had a combined 16 Formula 1 victories and more than 500 grand prix starts.

That wealth of experience represented a significant advantage for the new team. Both drivers understood how championship-winning outfits operated, how to work with technical personnel and what was required to develop a competitive car.

Cadillac had not forgotten American drivers either. In September 2025, it announced the signing of successful IndyCar racer Colton Herta as a test driver.

Herta was to gain experience of Formula 1 machinery and operations, with the long-term ambition of securing a full-time race seat in the championship.

Cadillac at the end of 2025: A new team with no F1 results to its name

Unlike established teams such as Ferrari, McLaren and Williams, Cadillac had not contested a Formula 1 World Championship race by the end of the 2025 season.

Although the American brand had a rich motorsport history, its successes in endurance racing and other disciplines did not count as results in the F1 championship.

At the end of 2025, Cadillac therefore had no Formula 1 grand prix starts, victories, podium finishes or world titles to its name. Its championship debut was scheduled for the 2026 season.

The main focus of 2025 was therefore technical and organisational preparation. The team continued with car development, simulations, recruitment and preparations for its manufacturing processes.

Its most important achievement was securing final approval to enter the championship, bringing more than two years of negotiations to a conclusion.

Other important steps included assembling an experienced leadership team headed by Graeme Lowdon, recruiting technical specialists Nick Chester and Pat Symonds, and confirming the driver pairing of Sergio Pérez and Valtteri Bottas.

Cadillac also secured Ferrari as its engine supplier and continued developing its own General Motors power unit, which was scheduled to be introduced in 2029.

By the end of the 2025 season, Cadillac had evolved from the initially rejected Andretti and General Motors project into an officially approved Formula 1 team. Although it had yet to record any race results, it had built the core organisational structure needed to enter the championship and laid the foundations for a new chapter in American motorsport.