On November 25, Formula 1 announced General Motors/Cadillac would be joining the grid for the 2026 season. This will be the first time since 2016 that F1 has had more than 10 teams. Here’s what fans should know about F1’s newest constructor. 

A concept design for a new GM/Cadillac F1 Car. (Source: The Race)

Over 100 Years in the Making

Based in Detroit, Michigan, General Motors is an American auto manufacturer that’s been in operation for over 100 years. The story of GM goes back to the time of the horse-drawn carriage. Its founder, William Durant, started one of the world’s largest carriage manufacturers before moving on to start GM in 1908. As the eventual face of brands like Buick and Chevrolet, Durant continued to innovate and push the boundaries of technology throughout his career. 

GM’s president Mark Reuss shares this same spirit as the team enters the grid for 2026, poised to bring its rich history and expertise in auto manufacturing to one of the most competitive racing series in the world. 

“As the pinnacle of motorsports, F1 demands boundary-pushing innovation and excellence. It’s an honor for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world”. 

Reuss also spoke to the global reach of the F1 expansion: 

“This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”

Despite previous success in American endurance events like Daytona 24 Hour and Petit Le Mans, a 10-hour race held yearly in Georgia, GM Cadillac is still fairly new to the international racing scene, making the expansion to an international audience just as valuable for GM’s brand as it is for F1.

A poster from the Netflix series Drive to Survive. (Source: Rotten Tomatoes)

First American Team to Join the Grid since Haas in 2016

This partnership speaks volumes to F1’s investment in the North American market – with two American Grands Prix added to the schedule in the last two years, it’s evident that F1 leadership recognizes the potential for growth in this relatively new fanbase. Greg Maffei may share some of that credit. He’s the President and CEO of Liberty Media – the owners of Formula One Group – but Liberty was also credited with creating the idea for Drive to Survive, the hit Netflix documentary series that provides a behind-the-scenes look at the F1 season. Liberty’s faith in this partnership is yet another sign that GM’s potential in the series is promising. 

“With Formula 1’s continued growth plans in the U.S., we have always believed that welcoming an impressive U.S. brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid and GM as a future power unit supplier could bring additional value and interest to the sport,” Maffei said in an F1 press release. 

Whether one believes in the “Drive to Survive effect” or not, the love of the sport has grown tremendously across the Atlantic in the last 5 years, and that’s only punctuated by GM’s desire to join the grid. 

1973 F1 champion Mario Andretti hugs Fernando Alonso, two time world-champion and driver for Aston Martin. (Source: Motorsport)

Not the Only Application to Join F1

Michael Andretti, son of World Champion Mario and head of Andretti Global, has openly expressed his desire to join the F1 grid for several years. The partnership makes sense on paper – a family-owned company that wants to bring its racing dynasty to the sport – that brings fans, sponsors and growth of the sport. Andretti has also proven several times over in IndyCar, Formula E and IMSA what a positive impact it can make. Despite all this, in January 2024, Andretti Global’s original application with Cadillac was denied. In the official decision handed down by F1, the deciding factor relied on Andretti not bringing its own power unit manufacturer – for example, Ferrari and Mercedes make their own power units in-house, while teams like Haas and Williams do not. As part of its onboarding, Andretti would have had to enter into a deal with another engine supplier on the grid – F1 had to weigh the financial and competitive impact that may have on the series. The updated application with GM, a future engine supplier, changed that.  

Max Verstappen after winning the Drivers’ Championship at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. (Source: Fox Sports)

11 Teams on the Grid: How Will the Sport Change?

While the official reasoning for Andretti Global being denied entry to F1 was shared earlier this year, there were some other aspects to this decision that may not be so official. ESPN cited knowledge of chatter around the paddock including, concerns about the team’s potential competitiveness in the series, weighed against the changes that would inevitably upend the way things are done.

While Andretti has proven its ability to be competitive in other series, starting an entirely new venture in a new motorsport is never easy. Teams will naturally be protective of what they’ve built especially if it’s been profitable – that leads to the other reason, which, not at all surprising, is money. 

F1 teams are awarded money based on where they’re ranked in the Constructors’ Championship each year, in descending order starting with the Champion – while it’s not the only way they make money throughout the year, it does impact what resources the team will have the following year. 

Red Bull was estimated to have earned $140 million as the Constructor’s Champion in 2023 – 14% of the total prize money. With an 11th team, that money is split into smaller slices – starting in 2026, that could shake things up. The teams that are currently dominant today will still likely be, but if a new competitor means innovating and raising the bar for the entire grid, the sport will be better for it – for fans and teams alike.