Ford F1 Rival Cadillac Formally Approved For 2026 Competition

Two American makes will hit the Formula One grid in 2026: Ford and General Motors. While Ford opted to partner with the existing team Red Bull Racing, the automaker’s crosstown rival decided to start from scratch with a Cadillac-backed F1 team. After years of back-and-forth with F1 and the FIA, the Caddy team has officially received final approval for 2026 competition.

According to a report from Formula1.com, GM and Cadillac have met the requirements necessary to join the 10 existing teams on the F1 grid as the 11^th outfit in competition. While the team will eventually become a “full works” operation when GM begins producing its own power units with a dedicated division in 2028, to start, its power units will be supplied by Ferrari. Currently, the Cadillac F1 team has facilities in Indiana, North Carolina, Michigan, and England.

“For the past year, we have worked hand in hand with GM, to lay a robust foundation for an extraordinary Formula 1 entry,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, the team responsible for the Caddy F1 entry. “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.”

“We’re thrilled the Cadillac Formula 1 Team is official, as the team has been accelerating its work,” added Mark Reuss, President of GM. “We’re incredibly grateful for the support from the FIA and Formula One Management leadership for us and for our partners at TWG. The excitement only grows as we get closer to showcasing GM’s engineering expertise on the prestigious global stage of F1.”

For comparison, the Ford F1 team will not be a full works outfit. Instead, the automaker is supplying valuable engine tech to Red Bull, working hand-in-hand with the team to produce power units in 2026 and beyond. While there are a fair number of challenges facing RBR and Ford next year, the automaker is confident that the collab will produce results, calling it a “true partnership.”