New F1 team is pushed to its limits for much-discussed debut

Long it seemed that the Andretti Formula Racing project would not be on the Formula 1 grid in 2026. However, that has changed since the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Opinions have been adjusted and the Cadillac Formula Racing project will most likely make its entrance in 2026, under the anticipated name: Cadillac F1 Team.

Michael Andretti no longer plays a major role in the project, but other than that, the organisation still stands remains, despite the family's name being taken off the door.

The foundation for the future has been laid, but the future team has to work very hard to get things in order before the first race in 2026. The reason is that the FOM did not approve the project earlier.

The negative opinion in early 2024 meant that the Americans could not work in top gear. That was not possible until after the race in Las Vegas, where the FOM shared that they were still cooperating with the project.

Despite that reality, the project was definitely not standing still, either. Therefore, it is time to take a look at what the potential new F1 team was already executing, and what awaits it in the coming weeks and months.

Drivers

Naturally, everyone immediately wants to talk about the drivers for 2026, but logically the team is working on other things in the background.

Drivers are not a priority at the moment, although RacingNews365 does understand that several drivers have applied to the Americans through their managers. 

The management, however, is primarily concerned with the foundation of the project. In recent months and years, considerable work has been undertaken, despite the fact that the FOM initially rejected the proposal. The project was never in danger, mainly because the Americans remained confident, steadfast and full of will.

If the team had been told earlier that it would be on the grid as early as 2026, it would have been further along with the project.

Only after the Las Vegas Grand Prix did the project kick into high gear. Logical, since it had to take into account the risk factor that they would indeed not be allowed to make an entrance in 2026.

You can have the best will in the world, but even a mega-corporation like General Motors/Cadillac cannot take on all the financial risks. After all, the risk was very high if you look at the initial resistance from the FOM.

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State of affairs

In the past two years, however, the team has announced some things. For example, they have built a facility near Silverstone, the 2028 GM power unit is already being developed, several facilities are in operation in the United States, and it has already hired some 300 staff members.

Among those people are engineers who left other F1 teams. They transferred to the project even though it was not certain to succeed. That shows the pulling power the project holds.

After the race in Las Vegas, a team boss was also announced in Graeme Lowdon and Ferrari confirmed it will supply engines and gearboxes for the first two seasons, from 2026. Thus, Cadillac F1 has a stable base, provided the entry is fully approved from here.

With Lowdon, the team has brought in an experienced force. He knows how the game works and was the owner of several racing teams, including Marussia's F1 team.

In addition, Lowdon is the manager of Zhou Guanyu and has a background in engineering. The 59-year-old Briton now gets the chance to prove himself at a major brand.

In fact, more news is expected to come out of the United States in the coming weeks, as the team will have to bring in more key people and personnel. From there, significant work remains, as it will need to sign more contracts to get two F1 cars on the grid.

Partners

Partners, in fact, also play a key role. This is not just about sponsors, as they join quite easily with General Motors/Cadillac being a big name in the United States. 

This does not apply to suppliers of parts, however. Take brakes, for example. Only a few companies supply such parts and orders are needed well in advance.

Logically, F1 involves high-tech products and they are not produced overnight. Suppliers must therefore know in good time what a team requires. 

So there must also be enough production time. Precisely those aspects are less under the team's control due to the late approval from the FOM. Therefore, the team's management will have to work hard to set up the agreements with suppliers as soon as possible, because 2026 is fast approaching. 

In addition, there are also rumours of a collaboration with chassis builder Dallara. The Italian company makes the chassis for Haas, but does not appear to be taking on such a role at Cadillac F1.

The constructor wants to build everything itself as soon as possible, but the delays that have occurred will likely force it to work with an outside party. A possible collaboration, however, is mainly about sharing knowledge, as the team will continue to hire its own people and thus want to keep everything under its own control.

There are several parties that supply certain parts to teams. McLaren, for example, supplies the ECU (Engine Control Unit) to all Formula 1 teams as a standard part.

Cadillac F1 also has to reach an agreement on that front, which fittingly sums up how much pressure there is on the team.

A brand like General Motors/Cadillac joins the series to win, but it is unrealistic to think it can be successful in just the first two years.

The delay incurred will likely play a significant role in the first couple of seasons. It is expected the team will have things in better shape in 2028, when GM will have its own power unit ready and can show its strength.

Politics & competition

The team can - and should - also start preparing for more politics, as Formula 1 and political games are inextricably linked, something that is certainly going to be no different with this story.

The Andretti Formula Racing project has long experienced a lot of resistance from current F1 teams and no doubt this process will continue.

Technical and sporting directors everywhere will be looking at what a new team can and cannot do, despite the fact that it will not be on the grid in 2025. Indeed, the teams realise better than anyone that with Cadillac F1, a potentially great competitor has been added.

Same goes for the General Motors/Cadillac power unit project. You can wager that other engine suppliers will approach the FIA with arguments as to why General Motors/Cadillac should or should not be allowed to do certain things. That is not a strange phenomenon; the competitive process should be as fair as possible. 

The process for official entry, however, should have been faster in the interest of the championship. Still the American team is not officially admitted for 2026, although it seems to be a formality now that it has signed a deal with Ferrari for power units and gearboxes.