After years of regulatory battles, Cadillac finally joins Formula 1 as the 11th constructor. Here is everything you need to know about America's newest F1 team.
Formula 1 has a new team for the first time since Haas joined the grid in 2016. Cadillac — the iconic American luxury brand and division of General Motors — made their long-awaited debut at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, becoming the sport's 11th constructor. The journey to the grid was anything but straightforward.
The Long Road to the Grid
Cadillac's path to Formula 1 began in 2023 when Andretti Global — the team founded by IndyCar legend Michael Andretti — received FIA approval to enter F1 as a new constructor. However, Formula 1 Management (FOM) initially rejected the application, citing concerns about the team's ability to add value to the sport. The decision sparked a fierce debate about the openness of Formula 1 to new entrants and the power of existing teams to block competition.
The situation changed when General Motors announced a partnership with Andretti, bringing the Cadillac brand and GM's engineering resources to the project. With a major American manufacturer behind the entry, FOM reversed their position and approved the team for the 2026 season — the perfect timing given the new power unit regulations that levelled the playing field for new entrants.
Bottas and Pérez: Experience on the Grid
Cadillac made a bold choice for their driver lineup, signing two experienced Formula 1 veterans who had been absent from the grid. Valtteri Bottas — the Finnish driver who spent five seasons at Mercedes alongside Lewis Hamilton — returns after his departure from Kick Sauber at the end of 2024. Sergio Pérez — the Mexican driver who was Max Verstappen's Red Bull teammate from 2021 to 2024 — also returns, bringing four years of front-running experience to the new team.
The combination of Bottas and Pérez gives Cadillac a combined 25+ years of Formula 1 experience — an unusual luxury for a new constructor. Both drivers know what it takes to compete at the front of the grid, and their technical feedback will be invaluable as the team develops their car through the 2026 season.
2026 Season Progress
As expected for a new constructor, Cadillac's debut season has been challenging. The team has been competitive in the lower midfield, with Bottas and Pérez regularly scoring points. The biggest challenge has been mastering the new 2026 active aerodynamics system — a technology that all teams are learning simultaneously, but which established teams have had more resources to develop.
Cadillac's long-term ambition is clear: General Motors has committed to developing their own power unit for future seasons, which would give the team full manufacturer status and the performance advantages that come with it. For now, they are running a customer power unit while their own PU programme develops in the background.
Related Reading
