Cadillac will field a new team in Formula 1, marking the return of a major us manufacturer to the grid after over two decades.

General Motors (GM) has officially announced that it will enter Formula 1 in 2026 under its Cadillac brand, marking the car giant’s return to the prestigious motorsport after more than 20 years. The decision revealed on Monday, follows an agreement in principle with GM’s partner, US-based TWG Global, to create a new team named after Cadillac. The team will make its debut in the 2026 FIA Formula One World Championship, with GM also planning to develop its own power unit in the future.

F1 has confirmed that the application process for the new Cadillac team will proceed, with Liberty Media, the commercial rights holder of F1, expressing excitement about the addition of a major US brand to the sport. Greg Maffei, CEO of Liberty Media, hailed the move, stating that the partnership with Cadillac aligns with F1’s expansion plans in the US, adding significant value and interest to the sport.

The announcement of GM’s entry into F1 comes as part of a broader shift in the sport’s engine regulations, with the 2026 season set to introduce new hybrid engine technology. These changes, which increase the hybrid component of engines to around 50% of total power output, have convinced several manufacturers to rejoin or enter the sport, including Ford, Audi, and Honda. GM’s entry will increase the number of engine suppliers in F1 to six, joining established manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari, and Honda.

The new Cadillac team will not have its own engine ready by 2026, so it will source a customer engine from another supplier in the interim. Currently, Ferrari is the leading candidate to supply engines to Cadillac, as the Italian team will have extra capacity following its agreement to supply Audi with engines for the 2026 season. The team plans to build its own engine, with full development expected to be completed by 2028.

F1’s decision to approve Cadillac’s entry comes after rejecting an earlier bid in January, which was part of a project led by Michael Andretti and his Andretti Global team. This time, however, GM will enter the sport as a team owner in its own right, marking a significant shift from the initial Andretti bid. Notably, Michael Andretti, who was seen as a controversial figure in F1’s decision-making, has stepped back from his role in the project, though his father, Mario Andretti, a former F1 world champion, will provide advisory support to the team.

GM’s entry has been met with enthusiasm across the sport, with McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown calling it “exciting news” for F1. He noted that Cadillac’s extensive automotive experience and history of innovation would add a new dimension to the competition, further elevating F1’s global appeal.

The addition of Cadillac to F1 reflects the growing popularity of the sport in the United States, where F1 is gaining significant traction, particularly following the success of the US Grand Prix and the increasing visibility of F1 through the Netflix series Drive to Survive. GM’s Cadillac brand, renowned for its luxury vehicles and performance pedigree, is expected to bring a new level of excitement to the grid, competing against established names in a sport that continues to evolve.