By Ryan Wu
Starting in 2026, for the first time in a decade, a brand-new team will join the grid: Cadillac. The team is backed by General Motors in collaboration with TWG Global (owned by Mark Walters, who is also a part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chelsea F.C. of the English Premier League), who purchased Andretti Global back in November of 2024.
Michael Andretti will be an advisor to the team while his father Mario will be serving on the board of directors, the latter of which won the F1 driver’s championship with Lotus-Ford back in 1978.
Racing Refresh breaks down what is currently known about the team, including key figures who have been hired.
Cadillac has already appointed Graeme Lowdon as team principal. Lowdon is no stranger to Formula 1, having served as CEO of the Virgin Racing team, backed by Richard Branson, from 2010–2011, and later leading the Marussia team from 2012–2015.
Nick Chester will take on the role of technical director. Previously, he served as engineering director at Lotus (formerly Renault, now Alpine) in 2012, where Kimi Räikkönen secured two victories—one at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and another at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix.
John McQuilliam has been appointed as chief designer. He brings experience from working with Williams, Arrows, and Jordan F1 teams.
Recent History of New Teams Joining the Grid
Having paid $450 million to join the grid, Cadillac faces a challenging road ahead if history is any indication. Unlike expansion teams in stick-and-ball leagues which can select unwanted players from other teams, a brand-new Formula 1 works team must overcome the immense engineering challenge of building a competitive car from scratch. Immediate success will be difficult to achieve.
The most recent example of a new team joining F1 is Haas in 2016. Their debut season with Romain Grosjean and Esteban Gutiérrez resulted in an eighth-place finish in the Constructors’ Championship, scoring 29 points across 21 races but failing to secure any podiums or wins.
In 2010, three now-defunct teams joined the grid: HRT, Virgin Racing, and Lotus-Renault (not to be confused with the Renault team that later became Alpine—this Lotus team eventually rebranded as Caterham under a Malaysian license). None of the three teams achieved a victory, and their success varied.
HRT lasted only three seasons, folding after 2012. They consistently finished 11th or 12th (out of 12 teams) in the Constructors’ standings.
Virgin Racing finished last in 2010 and 2011 before rebranding as Marussia in 2012, then Manor Racing in 2016, their final season. Across seven seasons, the team scored just five points before ultimately disbanding.
Lotus, later Caterham, finished 10th in their first two seasons before placing last from 2012 to 2014. The team ultimately folded after 2014.
These past struggles highlight the uphill battle Cadillac will face as they prepare to enter the sport in 2026.
Expectations for Cadillac
Some context is necessary for the previously mentioned three teams. They joined F1 at a time where there was no regulated cost cap and spending from top teams could be rampant and be without repercussions. Cadillac will be joining the sport at a time where costs of car development are highly scrutinized and teams lower on the grid will be allotted greater wind tunnel and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) times compared to teams higher up in the standings.
Moreover, Andretti Global/General Motors have extensive experience in motorsport with the former teams having won six Indy 500 races and a total of 19 drivers championships across various disciplines such as IndyCar and Formula E. General Motors has also been heavily involved in NASCAR and IndyCar and with Chevrolet. Chevrolet is the winningest brand, having won 40 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer's championships, including 800 wins, and also with Pontiac and Buick also having wins.
With the rules in place, one can hope that the days of entering teams being the doormats of the grid are a relic of the past. No one’s expecting Cadillac to win the 2026 championship but with a brand new set of regulations plus the cost cap, but it would not be a surprise if they were to score points and bring new competition to the midfield.
The Engine
The approval of an 11th team was granted under the expectation that General Motors would eventually become an engine supplier in Formula 1.
For the 2026 and 2027 seasons, however, Cadillac has an agreement to use Ferrari engines and gearboxes. Meanwhile, plans are underway to establish a 204,000-square-foot power unit facility near Charlotte, North Carolina, with the goal of developing their own F1 engines. Initially targeted for 2028, this timeline has recently shifted to a more vague "end of the decade."
Nonetheless, this marks an exciting development in engine manufacturing, especially as the 2026 season will introduce a reshaped power unit landscape. With Alpine/Renault exiting as an engine supplier, several new and returning partnerships will emerge:
● Ford will collaborate with Red Bull
● Audi will enter as a works team through their takeover of Stake
● Honda will partner with Aston Martin
● Ferrari and Mercedes will continue as established suppliers
Potential Drivers
Key figures within the team, including Mario Andretti, have repeatedly emphasized the importance of Cadillac fielding an American driver in Formula 1.
One of the most frequently mentioned candidates is Colton Herta, a 24-year-old Californian currently competing for Andretti Motorsport in IndyCar. With 9 wins, 8 podiums, and 14 pole positions across 100 races, Herta has proven himself a formidable talent and could be a prime contender for a seat.
Another name to watch is Jak Crawford, an American driver who currently serves as a reserve for both Aston Martin and the Andretti Formula E team. His presence in the F1 ecosystem makes him a viable option for Cadillac’s lineup.
However, it would be a surprise to see two rookies on the team. To balance experience with youth, Cadillac could look to Valtteri Bottas, who is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes. A seasoned race winner, Bottas has taken on a mentorship role for Andrea Kimi Antonelli and could provide valuable leadership alongside a young American driver like Herta or Crawford. His experience would be a major asset for a brand-new team navigating its early seasons in the sport.
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