Formula 1: General Motors has 2026 entry formally approved

American automotive giant General Motors has officially been approved to join Formula 1 racing in the 2026 season. General Motors plans to name the new team after its luxury brand, Cadillac. This decision marks the formal granting of entry permission just over two months after General Motors and F1 reached an agreement in principle.

Previously, F1 had rejected the entry application of the American team Andretti, which was then associated with Cadillac. However, General Motors subsequently submitted a new proposal demonstrating a greater commitment, ultimately persuading F1 to accept Cadillac. F1 and the motorsport governing body, the FIA, said in a joint statement that Cadillac's application had been approved after completing their respective sporting, technical, and commercial assessments.

The team's operations will be managed by the American organization TWG, representing a reimagining of the original proposal. The new team has a base at Silverstone in the UK, a collaborative effort between General Motors and TWG. Dan Towriss, owner of Andretti Global, and Mark Walter of TWG are other major investors. Former IndyCar and F1 driver Michael Andretti is no longer involved in the team he founded, while his father, 1978 World Champion Mario Andretti, will participate as an advisor.

F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said: "As we said back in November, the commitment of General Motors to enter Formula 1 with the Cadillac brand is a significant and positive endorsement of the sport. I want to thank GM and TWG for their constructive engagement and look forward to welcoming them to the grid in 2026. This will be another exciting year for the sport."

F1 believes that General Motors' proposal is superior to the original Andretti proposal in several key factors. These factors include a commitment to fully operate a manufacturer team for years to come, an engine supply agreement with Ferrari rather than relying on F1 rules to ensure a mandatory engine supply, and General Motors' commitment to manufacture its own engines in the future. The U.S. Department of Justice's investigation into F1's initial rejection of Andretti's entry also played a role. The FIA had previously approved Andretti's entry application, but F1 subsequently rejected it.

General Motors was attracted by the new engine rules and new chassis rules that will be introduced next year. These rules will increase the proportion of power generated by the hybrid section from the current 20% to about 50% and mandate the use of fully sustainable fuels. The new rules prompted General Motors' American competitor Ford and Germany's Audi to join, and persuaded Honda to continue its involvement after initially deciding to withdraw from F1. Ford will establish a partnership with Red Bull, which will produce its own engines starting in 2026, while Audi has acquired the Sauber team and will rebrand it starting next year. Honda will switch from Red Bull to Aston Martin, becoming its factory partner next season.