Formula 1 will welcome a new major player in 2026 with the arrival of Cadillac, officially becoming the 11th team on the grid and marking the first all-new entry into the championship since 2016. Backed by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, the project launches at the dawn of a new regulatory era, defined by fresh power unit rules and a full technical reset across the field.

While its identity is distinctly American, the Cadillac Formula 1 Team has been designed as a truly global operation. Its headquarters will be based in Fishers, Indiana, close to the heart of U.S. motorsport in Indianapolis, complemented by a European base next to Silverstone in the United Kingdom. In parallel, Cadillac is developing a future power unit facility (engine manufacturing and development center) near General Motors’ technical hub in Charlotte, North Carolina. The long-term objective is clear: to become a full works team with its own engine by 2029. Until then, Cadillac will run Ferrari power units, along with Ferrari-supplied gearboxes.

At the top of the organization, experience is the cornerstone. Graeme Lowdon will lead the team as Team Principal, supported by Nick Chester as Chief Technical Officer and Pat Symonds as Executive Engineering Consultant, forming a management group with deep roots in Formula 1’s technical and sporting landscape.

That philosophy continues with the driver line-up. For its debut season, Cadillac has chosen proven performers: Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez will take the wheel in 2026. Together, they bring over 500 Grand Prix starts, 16 race wins, and 23 pole positions, providing valuable experience, technical feedback, and racecraft during the team’s formative phase.

While there will be no American race driver initially, the pathway is already in place. Colton Herta, an IndyCar race winner, has been appointed as test driver, and will compete in Formula 2 in 2026 as part of a structured development plan aimed at a future Formula 1 seat.

On track, Cadillac is set to complete its first shakedown (an initial run focused on validating the car’s basic systems) in January, followed by private testing in Barcelona and the official pre-season tests in Bahrain. The team’s livery will be unveiled on one of the biggest stages imaginable: the Super Bowl, on February 8, 2026, reinforcing the project’s American identity.

Internally, expectations remain grounded. There are no bold predictions of immediate success. The priority is execution, rapid learning, and earning respect within the paddock. Still, the underlying message is unmistakable: Cadillac is not entering Formula 1 as a short-term experiment, but as a long-term contender in the sport’s new era.

Thumbnail credits: © Ken Wolter | Dreamstime.com