General Motors (GM) has taken a significant step towards entering the world of Formula 1 after the FIA, the governing body of world motorsport, approved an application by Andretti Autosport to enter the category. This move could see a new team named Andretti Cadillac on the F1 grid as early as 2025. However, the application still needs to be approved by F1’s commercial bosses, which is not guaranteed due to reluctance within the F1 paddock to add an 11th team.
The FIA has been actively seeking new entrants for Formula 1 in recent months, initially calling for expressions of interest before launching a more detailed application process. Andretti’s bid was one of four, and it is the only one to receive backing from the FIA. Under the Andretti Cadillac plan, the team would be based in the US with a support facility in the UK, although the specific location has not been determined yet.
The move comes at a time when Formula 1’s influence is growing in the US. The series will visit Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas in 2023 and already has a US-based team on the grid in the form of Haas, which is currently the newest F1 team at seven years old. Andretti and Cadillac have expressed their intention to prioritize the appointment of at least one American driver if their bid is successful.
The Andretti Cadillac team is led by Michael Andretti, a former F1 driver himself and the son of Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 champion and founder of the Andretti Global enterprise. The team plans to use an engine supplied by a third party but will receive technical support from Andretti and GM. The two companies previously partnered to run the Chevrolet team in the 2012 Indycar Series, winning multiple titles.
Racing in Formula 1 would not impact Cadillac’s efforts in endurance racing. The company has been successful in the IMSA Sportscar Championship since 2017 and will expand its efforts globally by entering its new V-LMDh racer in the FIA World Endurance Championship, including the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hours race.
GM President Mark Reuss expressed his excitement about the F1 bid, stating, “General Motors is honored to team with Andretti Global on this historic moment in racing. We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we’re thrilled with the prospect of forming an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport.”
Notably, entering Formula 1 would align with GM’s planned push back into the European car market. The company has been absent from the region since selling Opel and Vauxhall in 2017 but has announced its intention to return as an all-electric company in the coming years. Competing in F1 would undoubtedly serve as an effective marketing tool to support this commercial effort.
In addition to Andretti Cadillac, another confirmed new entrant in Formula 1 is Audi. Starting from 2026, Audi will apply its branding to the car run by Swiss team Sauber, which is currently partnered with Alfa Romeo. Porsche, a sibling brand of Audi, remains interested in entering the sport after scrapping plans to partner with Red Bull Racing.
The approval of Andretti Autosport’s application by the FIA is a significant development in GM’s potential entry into Formula 1. However, the final decision rests with F1’s commercial bosses, who will determine whether an 11th team will be added to the grid. If successful, Andretti Cadillac could bring American innovation and design to the global stage of Formula 1, further expanding the series’ appeal and interest worldwide.