F1 announces new American team to join 2026 grid, sparks driver speculation
Formula One has finally announced an 11th team will join the grid, sparking speculation over which drivers will suit up for the new outfit.
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American car manufacturer Cadillac will become the eleventh team on the Formula One grid in 2026 after the sport’s owners announced on Tuesday morning (AEDT) they had given their backing to the plan.
Formula 1 said it had reached “an agreement in principle” with General Motors (GM), which owns Cadillac, to support bringing a team into the paddock.
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“Formula 1 has maintained a dialogue with General Motors, and its partners at TWG Global, regarding the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision made by Formula 1 in January 2024,” Formula One said in its statement.
“Over the course of this year, they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time.”
The cars are expected to be powered by Ferrari before it develops its own engines.
The move comes after Formula 1 rejected the bid which was headed up by Andretti — owned by Michael Andretti, son of 1978 world champion Mario Andretti — earlier this year.
Nearly a fortnight ago, GM announced it had registered with the FIA to become a Formula One engine manufacturer from 2028, offering support to Andretti’s bid to join the F1 grid.
The Andretti name has since been dropped from the proposal with Michael no longer involved, although Mario is understood to be taking on an ambassadorial role.
“It’s an honour for General Motors and Cadillac to join the world’s premier racing series, and we’re committed to competing with passion and integrity to elevate the sport for race fans around the world,” said GM president Mark Reuss.
I feel very lucky that I've been able to stick around for this long and do what I love for so long. And the idea that the Cadillac F1 Team wants me around....I'll help where I can, a non-executive role with the team, not involved in day-to-day operations (because I don't want a…
— Mario Andretti (@MarioAndretti) November 25, 2024
The Cadillac F1 Team is made up of a strong group of people that have worked tirelessly to build an American works team. I’m very proud of the hard work they have put in and congratulate all involved on this momentous next step. I will be cheering for you!
— Michael Andretti (@michaelandretti) November 25, 2024
The US has become an increasingly important stop on the F1 tour. This announcement comes less than 48 hours after the Las Vegas Grand Prix which, after Miami and Austin, is the third US race on the calendar.
The Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’ has also boosted the sport’s profile in the US.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who had been in favour of the original Andretti bid, said he was “fully supportive” of the arrival of the GM/Cadillac team.
“All parties, including the FIA, will continue to work together to ensure the process progresses smoothly,” he said.
Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of Formula 1, described the news as “an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport”.
“We look forward to seeing the progress and growth of this entry, certain of the full collaboration and support of all the parties involved.”
Who will be Cadillac’s drivers in 2026?
Discussion will immediately turn to which two drivers will join the grid with Cadillac in 2026.
Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo would be 36 years old by the time the 2026 season starts.
Ricciardo is living his best life in the US after being unceremoniously axed by VCARB following the Singapore Grand Prix.
But if he still has the hunger to race in F1, Cadillac could do far worse that the Aussie who is already beloved in America.
Former Mercedes driver Valtteri Bottas is another veteran option after he was let go by Kick Sauber.
The new team will be keen to have an American driver. Andretti IndyCar drivers Colton Herta and Pato O’Ward have previously been linked to a move to F1.
Spain’s three-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou is another IndyCar driver who could make the switch to F1.
Logan Sargeant was the last American driver on the grid but he was sacked by Williams mid-season and replaced by Argentina’s Franco Colapinto, who has impressed but finds himself without a seat for 2025 with Alex Albon and Carlons Sainz already locked in with Williams.
Colapinto is certain to find himself back in the grid in the future — the 21-year-old is extremely popular and could prompt F1 to bring a race to Argentina given the sport’s strong heritage in South America.
Former driver Johnny Herbert believes Sainz or Red Bull junior Isack Hadjar, who is currently second in the F2 standings, would be solid options for Cadillac in the absence of a standout American candidate.
Herbert told Prime Casino: “There is no American driver as yet that the team would say, ‘He is what we need in the car’.
“You never know if Logan Sargeant could get a reprieve but he did not set the world on fire. Hence he got dropped.
“Experience is a very positive thing to have in a situation like this. So, someone like Carlos Sainz would add a lot to a programme like that. Then add in someone from the young driver pool which F1 is lucky enough to have at the moment. Maybe someone like Isack Hadjar.”
“It is an American manufacturer on the grid adding to the whole F1 bubble that we have at the moment. It is a really positive thing for the American market and the global market for F1 to have a brand like Cadillac on board.
“In the longer term this could be the opportunity to bring on the next American driver. That is something that needs to be worked on to have the right American talent pool available to come through into F1. Cadillac could be the catalyst for that possible journey to F1 for a young American.”
Michael Schumacher’s son Mick Schumacher is another driver who has regularly been linked with a return to F1 since he departed Haas in 2022 after two seasons.
Brazil’s Felipe Drugovich will be also looking for an F1 seat after being one of the few Formula 2 champions not to be given an immediate promotion.
The F1 grid will look very different next year, with up to five drivers (Kimi Antonelli, Jack Doohan, Ollie Bearman, Liam Lawson and Gabriel Bortoleto) starting their first full season.
2025 F1 driver line-up
McLaren: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Red Bull: Max Verstappen, Sergio Perez
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Lewis Hamilton
Mercedes: George Russell, Kimi Antonelli
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Alpine: Pierre Gasly, Jack Doohan
Sauber: Gabriel Bortoleto, Nico Hulkenberg
Haas: Esteban Ocon, Ollie Bearman
Williams: Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz
VCARB: Yuki Tsunoda, TBC (expected to be Liam Lawson)
Originally published as F1 announces new American team to join 2026 grid, sparks driver speculation
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