Formula One confirmed Monday it will expand its grid in 2026, adding a U.S.-based team partnered with General Motors, marking a major milestone in the sport’s global expansion.
The new team, Cadillac F1, is set to debut with Ferrari engines for its first two seasons before GM develops its own Cadillac engine for the 2028 season.
General Motors President Mark Reuss expressed excitement about the partnership, saying, “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.”
The move is seen as a step toward boosting American presence in F1, with Cadillac F1 entering as the 11th team on the grid.
The approval follows years of opposition and controversy, including a U.S. Justice Department investigation into Liberty Media’s decision to block the entry of Michael Andretti’s team.
In September, Andretti stepped down from leading the team, and the majority ownership of Andretti Global shifted to Dan Towriss and Mark Walter, who will now manage Cadillac F1.
Towriss, CEO of Group 1001, and Walter, CEO of Guggenheim Partners, bring extensive motorsports experience, with Towriss also holding stakes in Spire Motorsports’ NASCAR team and Wayne Taylor Racing’s sports car team.
Walter is also a controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chelsea FC.
“Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world,” Towriss said.
Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 world champion, will serve as an ambassador for the team, though his son, Michael, will not hold an official position with Cadillac F1 after scaling back his involvement.
Michael posted on social media, congratulating the team on its progress: “I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step.”
The approval, which had been in the works for weeks, came just after the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen clinched his fourth consecutive world title.
F1 officials had delayed the announcement to avoid overshadowing the weekend’s marquee event.
F1 grid expansions are rare and often short-lived. In 2010, four new teams were added to the grid, but by 2017, only one remained.
Currently, there is only one U.S. team, Gene Haas’s squad, which has struggled to be competitive and does not field American drivers.
Andretti’s vision has always been to create a truly American team with American drivers.
The fight to secure approval for the team began more than three years ago, with F1 initially rejecting Andretti’s application despite backing from the FIA.
Many of the existing teams opposed the expansion, fearing it would dilute prize money and devalue their multimillion-dollar investments.
The FIA, however, supported Andretti’s bid, with President Mohammed Ben Sulayem noting that it was the only application that met the necessary criteria.
Despite initial resistance from F1, the tide shifted when GM joined the effort.
At one point, F1 asked GM to partner with another team, but the automaker remained committed to Andretti, eventually leading to an agreement in principle.
F1’s decision also follows the resignation of Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei earlier this month, a vocal opponent of the grid expansion.
Maffei acknowledged the potential value of a U.S. team, citing GM’s leadership in the auto industry and the significant interest the partnership could bring to the sport.
“We believe that welcoming an impressive U.S. brand like GM/Cadillac to the grid could bring additional value and interest to the sport,” Maffei said.