Aditya ChaudhuriAmerican team set for entry
Andretti Global and General Motors (GM) will be teaming up together to enter the Formula One grid after the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that they might invite new teams.
An announcement by Andretti’s chairman Michael Andretti confirmed that the American brand would be partnering with GM to look to enter under the Cadillac banner. Andretti have been looking to enter the Formula One grid for a long time and have been working with GM to work on potential options for the entry for some time now. It is reported that their headquarters will be at the new Andretti facility which is being built in Indiana while GM will provide the team with aerodynamic and engine development support. Andretti were previously linked with Renault for an engine deal but the identity of the engine manufacturer has not been revealed yet. Andretti are also looking to field an American driver and Andretti’s IndyCar driver Colton Herta, who was considered for the AlphaTauri seat in 2023, is the favourite to be the American team’s home driver.
Michael Andretti, the chairman and CEO of Andretti Global, commented,
“We are continuing to grow Andretti Global and its family of racing teams and always have our eyes on what’s next. I feel that we are well suited to be a new team for Formula 1 and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans.
‘I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid. Joining the grid would depend on the expression of interest, how long that takes, and where we are at the time. But we are going to be on-track when it all makes sense to be on-track.
‘We definitely have plans to have an American driver. I think you all know who is leading the pack on that one. Colton we have under contract right now in Indycar. We want to make this an all-American effort to make sure we have an American driver in the seat.”
Mark Reuss, the president of General Motors, said,
“We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport. Cadillac and F1 both have growing global appeal. Our brand has a motorsports pedigree that’s more than a century in the making, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.”
A spokesperson from Formula One, added,
“There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others. We all want to ensure the championship remains credible and stable and any new entrant request will be assessed on criteria to meet those objectives by all the relevant stakeholders. Any new entrant request requires the agreement of both F1 and the FIA.”
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President, FIA, stated,
“The FIA is exploring the expressions of interest process and we will provide a further update in the near future. Today’s news from the United States is further proof of the popularity and growth of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship under the FIA’s stewardship.
‘It is particularly pleasing to have interest from two iconic brands such as General Motors Cadillac and Andretti Global. Any additional entries would build on the positive acceptance of the FIA’s 2026 PU regulations among OEMs which has already attracted an entry from Audi. Any expressions of interest process will follow strict FIA protocol and will take several months.”
There is no date set for Andretti and Cadillac’s Formula One entry, but it is unlikely they enter before 2026, the year when the new regulations will be introduced,
