Brace yourselves, motorsport fans, because Formula One has just dropped a bombshell: General Motors, through its Cadillac brand, is set to join the grid in 2026 as the 11th team.
This isn’t GM’s first flirtation with Formula One. Back in the 1960s, when the Americans decided to take racing in Europe seriously, they made a brief but memorable mark.
Jim Hall’s Chaparral Cars, heavily backed by Chevrolet, led the charge in engineering innovation. While they never officially competed in F1, their ground-effect wizardry in Can-Am and endurance racing influenced countless F1 designs.
Cadillac has also been tearing up tracks across the globe in 2024, proving they’re no strangers to the podium.
At the Petit Le Mans, Cadillac’s V-Series.R, with the No. 01 car piloted by Renger van der Zande, Sébastien Bourdais, and Scott Dixon, clinched victory amid late-race drama, marking a triumphant finale for the team.
In the gruelling 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Cadillac No. 2 V-Series.R, driven by Alex Lynn, Earl Bamber, and Richard Westbrook, secured a commendable third-place finish, battling fiercely against the likes of Toyota and Ferrari.
But let’s not forget the stakes. GM isn’t just bringing its badge to the paddock; they’re stepping into the lion’s den, where giants like Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull have ruled supreme. If Cadillac cracks the code in 2026, it’ll be a triumph not just for the team but for the legacy of American motorsport on the global stage—especially when Haas isn’t exactly hitting those heights.
Speaking of Haas, their performance this year has been a solid underdog story with a couple of standout races for the American outfit. Powered by the Prancing Horse, Haas delivered with Nico Hülkenberg leading the charge. At the British Grand Prix, he bagged a remarkable sixth-place finish, following it up with another sixth at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Formula One and its FIA counterparts have been working closely with GM and its partners at TWG Global to iron out the details. Cadillac’s commitment as a team and GM’s longer-term plans to become an engine supplier bring to mind a certain quote from Ford v Ferrari: “This isn’t the first time Ford Motor’s gone to war in Europe.”
