# Cadillac in Formula One

American car manufacturer General Motors (GM) is contracted to compete as a Formula One constructor under the Cadillac brand as Cadillac Formula 1 Team, beginning with the 2026 season, and is expected become a power unit manufacturer by the end of the 2020s. GM will collaborate with American motorsports organization TWG Motorsports through the latter's British subsidiary, GPM Cadillac Formula Racing Ltd.
Cadillac will become the first new constructor to join the grid since Haas in 2016. The project has three bases in the United States—in Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan—and one in the United Kingdom. The engine department will be based in North Carolina.

## Background

In January 2023, General Motors (GM) announced their intention to enter the Cadillac brand into the Formula One World Championship in collaboration with Andretti Global. The move was approved by the FIA but declined by the Formula One Group, which said that it would reconsider its decision if GM agreed to manufacture F1 engines. Despite the rejection, Andretti continued to build up the team and operations using Toyota's wind tunnel in Cologne. Andretti hired several alumni of Flavio Briatore's Renault / Team Enstone operation for senior roles, including Formula One CTO Pat Symonds, technical director Nick Chester, aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson, and advisor Naoki Tokunaga.
In November 2024, Los Angeles Dodgers lead owner and Chelsea F.C. co-owner Mark Walter announced that TWG Global, the holding company that he manages and co-owns, had acquired Andretti Global. The team renamed its British subsidiary to Cadillac Formula Racing Ltd and subsequently GPM Cadillac Formula Racing Ltd. TWG retained Andretti minority owner Dan Towriss to serve as the CEO of TWG's motorsports division. Michael Andretti remained as an advisor, and Mario Andretti agreed to serve on the board of directors.
That same month, GM announced they would enter the championship as a constructor in 2026 under the Cadillac brand, and that GM would enter as an engine supplier at a later date. By doing so, GM became F1's first new constructor since Haas in 2016. GM paid an expansion fee of US$450 million, over twice as much as originally demanded. Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali stated that GM's commitment to the project was an "important and positive demonstration of the evolution of [the] sport". In December, the team hired former Virgin and Marussia CEO Graeme Lowdon as team principal and Renault engine specialist Rob White as chief operations officer. Mario Andretti stated that the team planned to pair an experienced driver with a younger American driver, who will "most likely be [Andretti Global driver] Colton Herta." The entry received its final approval in March 2025.

## Power unit programme

GM and TWG established GM Performance Power Units LLC (GM PPU) to produce works engines for the Cadillac team, and hired longtime GM engine designer Russ O'Blenes to lead the engine division. In addition, Joe Saward reported that GM was seeking to purchase the intellectual property of Renault's former power unit programme.
In December 2024, Ferrari announced that Cadillac had signed a multi-year deal to use their engines and gearboxes from 2026 onwards, until GM PPU develops an F1-ready power unit.
Cadillac anticipates that GM PPU will have an engine ready for the 2028 season. GM PPU announced that it plans to spend $65-70 million building an engine factory for 300-350 employees, which is expected to open in the first quarter of 2027. It also plans to spend another $75-80 million to start up the factory.

## Facilities

GM plans to operate four facilities for its F1 program. The Cadillac racing team will operate from a facility in Silverstone, England, while GM will build a 204,000-square foot power unit facility near its Charlotte Technical Center in Concord, North Carolina. In addition, the team's parent company, TWG Motorsports, is building a new headquarters in Fishers, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis; the team initially announced that it would assemble the F1 cars at the Fishers facility, but it was later reported that it planned to build the cars at a nearby site. Additional operations will take place in Warren, Michigan, the location of the General Motors Technical Center.

## Involvement in the 1950s

Several GM marques participated in the Indianapolis 500 when it counted towards the Formula One World Championship from 1950 to 1960:
* 1951: Gordon Reid entered a Chevrolet-engined Silnes car but failed to qualify.
* 1952: Johnny Fedricks entered a Cadillac-engined Kurtis Kraft car but failed to qualify.
* 1953: Bill Homeier entered a Cadillac-engined Kurtis Kraft car but failed to qualify.

## Complete Formula One World Championship results
### As an engine supplier

| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 1952 | Calvin Connell | Kurtis Kraft | Cadillac 4.5 V8 | F | | SUI | 500 | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | NED | ITA | |
| 1952 | Calvin Connell | Kurtis Kraft | Cadillac 4.5 V8 | F | Johnny Fedricks | | DNQ | | | | | | | |
| 1953 | Calvin Connell | Kurtis Kraft | Cadillac 4.5 V8 | F | | ARG | 500 | NED | BEL | FRA | GBR | GER | SUI | ITA |
| 1953 | Calvin Connell | Kurtis Kraft | Cadillac 4.5 V8 | F | Bill Homeier | | DNQ | | | | | | | |