GM has officially secured FIA approval to become an engine supplier in Formula 1, marking a major step forward as The General pursues a full factory effort in the prestigious racing series.
Per a report from Motorsport, the automaker will supply its own F1 powertrains under GM Performance Power Units, a joint effort between TWG Motorsports and General Motors, with the first units expected on the grid by the 2029 season. In the interim, the new Cadillac F1 team will use Ferrari customer power units.
“With this approval from the FIA, we will continue to accelerate our efforts to bring an American-built F1 power unit to the grid,” GM Performance Power Units CEO Russ O’Blenes said in a statement.
“Welcoming GM Performance Power Units LLC. as an approved power unit supplier for the Championship starting in 2029 marks another step in the global expansion of Formula 1 and highlights the growing interest from world-class automotive manufacturers like General Motors,” said FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
GM was previously expected to manufacture new F1 power units as early as 2028. However, the revised 2029 timeline aligns with a potential overhaul in F1’s engine regulations, which may simplify the current hybrid formula.
Looking ahead, the FIA is expected to transition to a new power unit spec that would significantly reduce costs, complexity, and weight, emphasizing the internal combustion engine power over battery electric power, as compared to the even 50-50 split mandated in 2026. The new engine regulations may also resurrect a V8 or V10 engine configurations.
With that in mind, GM’s delayed engine rollout could provide an opportunity to capitalize on the new technical regulations, giving it time to develop a powertrain optimized for the next era of F1. GM will open a dedicated F1 development facility near its Charlotte Technical Centre in North Carolina in 2025.
The new Cadillac F1 team was formally approved for entry in the 2026 season late last year after a good deal of drama and political wrangling.
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Good luck on that 2029 timing. F1 is already discussing entirely changing the powertrain rules before the new 2026 engine regulations have even taken effect. It would shorten the 50-50 battery/ ICE powertrain regulations to around 5 years (2029 or 2030) rather the prior 8 years+ that it was supposed to span.
They’re thinking about going back to V10’s with sustainable fuel. Simpler, lighter, smaller, cheaper and for fans they’re screaming loud. That would allow the cars to be smaller lighter and less expensive as well. The current cars have grown big, heavy and ultra expensive in order to package all the hybrid powertrain hardware.
They’re not moving to V10s again. Recently announced. We all knew it was a distraction to take the spotlight off the FIA for banning swearing. 2029 is an ideal timeline. GM initially planned for 2028, this extension gives them time to work with any further regulatory changes.
That discussion is far from over after just one meeting. All powertrains manufacturers would have to agree so yeah there are plenty of issues but there are plenty of concerns from the manufacturers about the 2026 regs as well. Specifically on long high speed tracks.
On the other hand Mark Reuss, who’s the major push behind gm’s F1 entry, will hitting retirement age about the time the gm powertrain may finally be ready for competition…halfway through F1’s engine regulations life cycle. We’ll see how committed gm really is to F1 in about five years.
All good points! Thank you.
You have to do nothing more than to watch the 1966 movie Grand Prix to realize what's wrong with Formula One. There is nothing on earth like those cars, the sound of those engines and the courage of those 80 or so men who could drive them. I stopped following it years ago.
"Get off my lawn!" yelled the old man as he stuck his head out the porch door....
Somehow, some way GM will screw this up .