Cadillac, in partnership with Michael Andretti and Andretti Global, are aiming to enter the FIA Formula One (F1) World Championship racing series as the eleventh team on the grid. If Cadillac’s bid is successful, Renault-owned Alpine says it will supply the new team’s engines.
Per a recent report from Reuters, Alpine Renault chief executive Laurent Rossi confirmed that Alpine would indeed supply the new Cadillac – Andretti team with engines, assuming the team secured its place on the grid.
Cadillac Racing V-LMDh Le Mans Prototype
“We agreed that if they get their license to run in Formula One, then we will provide them with a powertrain,” Rossi told Reuters. “But it’s up to them to show that they can join the Formula One circus and for that they need to go through the hoops, the process in place where they submit applications and they show that they bring value to the F1 circus and teams in general.”
Cadillac and Andretti global announced its new partnership early last month, outlining plans to compete in the top-tier series with an all-American team under the Cadillac brand with at least one U.S. driver on the roster. However, the announcement was met with negative reactions from current F1 teams, with reports indicating that a “strong majority” were against Cadillac and Andretti Global entering the series.
Cadillac Racing V-LMDh Le Mans Prototype
Some of the criticism was leveled at a dilution in the share of revenues, with one senior figure characterizing GM’s involvement as a “badging exercise,” adding that the $200 million entry fee, which would be split among the existing teams, was insufficient compensation.
In response, Michael Andretti characterized the negative reaction to the Cadillac – Andretti bid as “greedy,” saying that teams were prioritizing self-interest over the growth and wellbeing of F1 as a whole. Meanwhile, the head of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, was supportive of the Cadillac /Andretti bid, tweeting that teams should be “encouraging prospective F1 entries from global manufacturers like @GM and thoroughbred racers like Andretti and others.”
Cadillac Racing V-LMDh Le Mans Prototype
The FIA is the governing body which oversees the F1 series. Going forward, the new Cadillac / Andretti team entry will require approval from both F1 and the FIA before it can compete. The lengthy approval process means that a new team would not be able to compete for at least several more years.
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Comments
It’s a badging exercise for everyone else too. Who are they kidding?
I don’t know about this formul’a thing at all, is this the standart practice & everyone uses the same engine, so it’s all about aerodynamics or what? I don’t know If you would not put a GM engine in it why the heck Cadillac even name doing there at all, an advertisement for what?
A Renault engine in a Cadillac…. meh
This is what is going on. The window to join F1 is opening this year. You join now or else for 2024.
The problem is there is a new rules in 2026 will require totally new engine packages and technology. To create an engine for two years would be impractical and expensive for few results.
The supplied engine would only be use for a short time and GM plans to have their own engine come the new rules package.
As for the chassis it may be a deal like the IMSA car where GM and Dallara design it jointly but Dallara builds them.
Some smaller teams are supplied by larger teams like HAAS but that is not a good way to operate.
GM if they get in has to spend a lot and will have much to learn. What will help is everyone will be starting new at the time but still this will be one of the greatest challenges GM has faced in racing. I just hope they are willing to do what it takes. Toyota didn’t. .
$200 MILLION entry fee? At least it is less than an NFL franchise. Formula racing in North America is nearly non existent so what is Cadillac trying to prove? To get a foot hole in Europe? Cadillac has tried for decades now to compete head to head with the likes of BMW and Mercedes and not sure if it ever has shown up in sales? It’s once reason why Cadillac dropped the naming convention to an alphabet soup of letters and numbers like BMW.
F1 will have 3 races in the US this year – Austin, Miami & Las Vegas and becoming more popular in the US everyday thanks to Netflix. It is time for a US manufacturer to be in the running and it may as well be Cadillac, maybe it will help improve their styling.
The idea is all automakers are being forced to go EV racing. F1 is the most advanced series and will work to phase in more and more EV power.
With new engines in 2026. To compete at this level now is the time to do it.
But will GM be willing to pay the cost it will take to win. Ford failed in the last effort and Toyota left with no wins after learning it is not easy.
Ism not sure GM will stick out or not as in the past they seldom do what is needed outside Corvette.