Cadillac chief fires first shot as iconic rivalry set for F1 first

The CEO of Cadillac's F1 project has fired the first shot as an iconic rivalry is set to grace grand prix racing for the first time. 

Cadillac is owned by General Motors, which is making its F1 debut in 2026 with grand prix racing's newest team. Meanwhile, old rival Ford is re-entering F1 as a technical partner to Red Bull's in-house power unit project.

GM-Ford is one of the great automotive rivalries, with the two racing in NASCAR and sportscar racing, but never in F1, as Dan Towriss, the CEO of Cadillac's project, criticised Ford's 'very minimal' involvement with Red Bull as a "marketing deal."

"It’s not even close," Towriss told The Athletic of GM and Ford’s respective involvement.

"One is a marketing deal with very minimal impact, while GM is an equity owner (in the Cadillac team).

"They’re deeply embedded from an engineering standpoint, and they were involved from day one. 

"Those two deals couldn’t be more different."

Counter-acting, the global director of Ford Racing, Mark Rushbrook defended the Blue Oval’s level of involvement.

"People will have their opinions, but if they saw what was going on, if we were able to open the doors and show everything to them, I think they would be convinced very quickly," he also told The Athletic. 

"It’s not simply a marketing program. Of course, there is that element, but we’re in there with our sleeves pulled up.

"We’re doing it together with Red Bull, but it’s still a massive challenge. Just in terms of the technical challenge and the pace at which we need to move."