For the past few years, there has been a conversation about a potential 11th team entering the F1 grid. It was initially expected to be Andretti Global. However, their bid was rejected by F1 and now, General Motors has applied for an entry in 2026 and is likely to be approved.
With GM potentially entering F1 in 2026, there were some questions in regards to what the team name would be and who the power unit manufacturer would be. We now have answers to these questions.
General Motors reveals F1 team name and engine
As some of you may be aware, General Motors owns multiple automotive brands in the industry. This list includes Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac. According to Jenna Fryer at AP News, GM has decided to call it Cadillac F1.
General Motors is preparing a bid to enter the F1 grid as a new team owner in 2026!
This comes after Andretti’s failed bid to enter earlier this year!#F1 #LasVegasGP
Read all about it in the article below 👇https://t.co/8w0fzmh0eu
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) November 22, 2024
Another question was about the power unit. The FIA has already closed entries for power unit manufacturers for the 2026 season. Hence, GM cannot enter as a power unit manufacturer as well. So for the 2026 season, if Cadillac F1 is entering the sport, they will most likely be powered by Ferrari engines for the first 2 years. From 2028, GM is expected to become a power unit manufacturer as well.
Is Andretti Global playing a role in Cadillac F1’s bid to enter the sport?
A while back, Andretti Global formed a partnership with General Motors where the latter would provide the team with power units from the 2028 season. But for this partnership to be successful, Andretti needed a spot in F1 which was denied by the FOM (Formula One Management).
So once GM’s entry to F1 is approved, Andretti is expected to make their move to become the works team for Cadillac F1. It is still unclear if Andretti intends to buy the team from GM or just come in as a works team while the team is majorly owned by GM. But these details will be confirmed sooner or later.
Just a few days back, Mario Andretti did say that we can expect some news on Andretti’s F1 bid in the coming days. Well, this is the news we can expect now. Once GM has been approved by the FIA and FOM as an 11th team, Andretti will most likely take over and become the works team.
GM’s bid to enter F1 is expected to be confirmed sometime next week, which would be before the Qatar Grand Prix. This could set for a very exciting season in 2026 and beyond.
Are you excited to see an 11th team on the grid from the 2026 season? Post your thoughts in the comments section below.
