FIA President reacts to Cadillac joining F1: "Transformative moment"

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has spoken out after it was confirmed that the Cadillac brand, through General Motors, will be joining the Formula 1 grid in 2026 as the sport's 11th team.

Both the FIA and F1 have officially confirmed the addition of the American team after Formula One Management originally rejected a bid from Andretti Global. General Motors had been working with the motorsport titan with the objective of joining the grid, but with Michael Andretti becoming more aggressive with their tactics, including the involvement of US Congress and the Department of Justice, F1 pushed back harder, despite the organisation having already invested heavily into the project with a new base at Silverstone. 

Fortunately for the team, Dan Towriss soon took control of the operation and, with a revised bid and Andretti stepping down, was able to smooth things over. 

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali celebrated the news:

“As we said in November, the commitment by General Motors to bring a Cadillac team to Formula 1 was an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport.

“I want to thank GM and TWG for their constructive engagement over many months and look forward to welcoming the team on the grid from 2026 for what will be another exciting year for Formula 1."

Now, FIA chief Ben Sulayem has also commented on the growing grid:

"Today marks a transformative moment, and I am proud to lead the Federation in this progressive step for the championship. The FIA Formula One Championship's expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone. GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy, aligning with the new FIA 2026 regulations and ushering in an exciting era for the sport.

"The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s presence in the paddock will inspire future competitors and fans. Their entry strengthens our mission to push motorsport’s boundaries at the highest level."

Cadillac F1

Photo by: FIA

Cadillac will be powered by Ferrari when they join in 2026 as the new regulations take over but will be transitioning to their own powertrains from 2028 built by a new company created for this task: GM Performance Power Units LLC.

Russ O’Blenes was appointed CEO of the company in January 2025. 

“We’re delighted to welcome Russ to this pivotal role,” said Dan Towriss, TWG CEO, at the time. “His expertise and leadership will be instrumental as we lay the foundation for Cadillac’s F1 journey.

“Together with team principal Graeme Lowdon [announced in his new role last month], they will lead the team in setting new standards of performance and innovation in the sport.”