By The Verge | Created at 2024-11-25 20:15:59 | Updated at 2024-11-25 22:20:34
2 hours ago
General Motors has a deal to join Formula 1 under the Cadillac brand and participate in the FIA Formula One World Championship for the 2026 season, the automaker announced on Monday. Formula 1 says it has accepted in principle and will move GM and Cadillac's application forward to become the 11th team on the grid — making it the first new team to join since 2016.
Formula 1 says it’s been in talks with GM and its partners at motorsport company TWG Global about “the viability of an entry following the commercial assessment and decision” the organization made in January. The announcement mentions that GM will come on as an engine supplier later, and while The Race reports it will join initially as a Ferrari customer, that has not been officially announced.
GM:
Innovations created for F1 will contribute to GM’s push to drive the future of transportation, leveraging advanced electrification, powertrain, software, and internal combustion engine technology for consumers around the globe. Launching an F1 team will also highlight the Cadillac brand to a diverse international audience, showcasing GM’s technology and design capabilities.
In a statement, the CEO of Liberty Media (owner of Formula One Group), Greg Maffei, said that GM as a future power unit supplier “could bring additional value and interest to the sport.” Maffei additionally called GM and Cadillac an “impressive US brand.”
The last US F1 champion, Mario Andretti, is joining the team’s board as director.
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