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 from Andretti Autosport to enter the category. This move could see a General Motors-backed race team on the grid as early as 2025, but there are still hurdles to overcome, including striking a deal with F1’s commercial bosses.
Andretti Autosport, in collaboration with Cadillac, announced their plans to enter Formula 1 earlier this year. While the FIA has approved their application, it still needs to be approved by F1’s commercial bosses, who have been hesitant to add an 11th team to the grid. Despite this uncertainty, the FIA has been actively seeking new entrants for Formula 1 and received four applications, with Andretti being the only one to receive their backing.
Under the Andretti Cadillac plan, the team would be based in the US with a support facility in the UK. However, the exact location for the support facility has not yet been determined. If all goes well, the earliest the team could compete in Formula 1 would be 2025.
The move comes at a time when Formula 1’s influence in the US is growing. 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 team in Formula 1 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 head of Andretti Autosport is Michael Andretti, a former Formula 1 driver himself and the son of Mario Andretti, the 1978 Formula 1 champion and founder of the Andretti Global enterprise. The team would use an engine supplied by a third party but with technical support from Andretti and GM. The two companies previously partnered to run the Chevrolet team in the 2012 Indycar Series, where they achieved great success, winning the driver, team, and manufacturer titles.
It’s worth noting that entering Formula 1 would not affect Cadillac’s efforts in endurance racing. The company has been racing successfully in the IMSA Sportscar Championship since 2017 and will expand its efforts globally this year 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 potential F1 entry, 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 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, and we would be proud to have the opportunity to bring our distinct American innovation and design to F1.”
Aside from the racing implications, a move into Formula 1 would align well with GM’s planned re-entry into the European car market. Since selling Opel and Vauxhall in 2017, GM has been absent from the region but has announced plans to return as an all-electric company in the coming years. Competing in Formula 1 would undoubtedly serve as an effective marketing tool to support this commercial effort.
In conclusion, General Motors-backed Andretti Autosport has received approval from the FIA to enter Formula 1, bringing them one step closer to their goal. However, they still need approval from F1’s commercial bosses before their entry can be confirmed. If successful, this move could see an American team on the grid as early as 2025. The collaboration between Andretti and Cadillac, with their rich motorsport history and engineering expertise, has the potential to bring a unique American perspective to the world of Formula 1.