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Ford Performance Chief Wants GM In Formula 1

GM is currently looking to enter the Formula 1 Championship with the Cadillac brand in partnership with Andretti. So far, the proposal has met stiff resistance from top Formula 1 officials. Now, however, Ford Performance chief Mark Rushbrook has publicly endorsed the prospect of GM entering the championship.

According to a report from Associated Press, Rushbrook said during an interview that he would “love to welcome General Motors into [Formula 1].”

The Cadillac V-Series.R race car. Cadillac currently competes in IMSA, but is eyeing a run on Formula 1.

Cadillac V-Series.R race car

“They have that ability to come in as a power unit manufacturer independent of any specific team; they could partner with any of the existing 10 teams,” Rushbrook said. “So we welcome them, for sure. And same with Andretti. We certainly don’t have anything against Andretti.”

Ford is set to return to Formula 1 for the 2026 season as a technical partner with Red Bull Racing.

GM President Mark Reuss reportedly responded to Rushbrook’s statement, posting on social media, “Thank you Mark Rushbrook – and we would welcome Ford to IndyCar for enhancing American open-wheel racing as well.” Ford currently does not compete in IndyCar, while Chevy has a commanding presence in the sport. However, Ford and GM regularly go head-to-head in other motorsports, including NASCAR.

Cadillac V-Series.R race car

Early last year, General Motors and Andretti Global announced a new partnership in a bid to enter the Formula 1 Championship, but after a lengthy application process, Formula One Management announced that the team’s bid to enter for the 2025 season as the 11th entry on the grid was rejected.

The assessment process found that the addition of an 11th team to the race grid “would not, on its own, provide value to the championship.” The FIA, which serves as the sanctioning body behind F1, found Andretti’s technical capabilities to be adequate for competition, but the new team was still required to reach a commercial deal with F1’s owner, Liberty Media. Officials also noted that another team on the grid would “place an operational burden on race promoters, would subject some of them to significant costs, and would reduce the technical, operational and commercial spaces of the other competitors.”

Despite this setback, GM has continued to fight to bring Cadillac to the Formula 1 grid and remains confident that the Cadillac Andretti project isn’t dead in the water. The Andretti team is already well into development, hiring experts and team members from other F1 organizations with the goal of joining the grid by 2026.

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Ford should get ready to get spanked by Caddy.

    Reply
  2. Ford being “technical partner” to Red Bull means mainly supplying the engines.

    Reply
    1. It doesn’t even mean that. Red Bull has been planning and building up its own powertrain capabilities for over two years to meet the new F1 regs in 2026. All based at their HQ’s in the UK.

      All Ford is doing is providing money to get its name on the car plus a modest level of technical powertrain assistance. With an emphasis on modest. Basically they’re little more than another sponsor.

      Reply
  3. The plot thickens!! It’s neat to see Ford and GM giving positive reinforcement to each other. Ford will be providing power units (engines) to F1 juggernaut Red Bull, as well as it’s junior team, RB/VCARB, beginning in 2026. Honda is the current supplier for Red Bull, and will migrate to Aston Martin in 2026. As an F1 fan, this is going to be very interesting to see how it all unfolds! I really hope Andretti can make this happen. Also, personally, I’d love to see GM power units in the McLaren cars (my favorite team).

    Reply
    1. In reality it’s a Red Bull designed and manufactured powertrain branded as Ford.

      Reply
  4. With Stewart-Haas going away, perhaps GM can just convince Gene Haas to sell to Andretti, or perhaps Alpine can sell to them and that’s GM’s ticket in with Andretti. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem just stated the other day that Andretti should “I would advise [Andretti] to go and buy another team, not to come as the 11th team.”

    Perhaps that just might need to happen. Alpine is ripe for the picking, rumors are the Renault wants out of F1 all together as well (their parent company/engine supplier) so maybe that one might be more optimal than Haas.

    Reply

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