General Motors on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to establishing a Formula 1 team with Andretti Global, and announced its intention to develop the team’s power unit.
GM said it formally registered with the FIA, F1’s governing body, to become an F1 power unit supplier by the 2028 season.
GM has already started testing of prototype technology and is looking to leverage some of its learnings in developing the F1 power unit for development of powertrains bound for road cars. Key areas that can benefit include hybrid technology, sustainable fuels, thermal efficiency, and software control systems, the automaker said.
F1 will introduce a new power unit in 2026. It will be similar to the current setup which combines a turbocharged 1.6-liter V-6 with hybrid systems, though for the new power unit there will be reduced power from the engine and more from the hybrid side of the equation.
Andretti Global and Cadillac logos
GM first announced plans to partner with Andretti and form the new team Andretti Cadillac in January, and in October the plans took a major step forward following the approval of Andretti’s F1 bid by the FIA.
Andretti Cadillac is expected to compete before the arrival of GM’s power unit in 2028, with rumors pointing to the team possibly using a Renault power unit initially.
Andretti Cadillac isn’t confirmed a spot on the grid just yet, though. The next stage will be convincing Liberty Media, F1’s commercial rights holder.
Should it be successful, Andretti Cadillac won’t be the only new entity in F1. Ford is set to return to the sport in 2026 as a partner of leading team Red Bull Racing, and Audi is set to join the sport for the first time, also in 2026, by taking control of Sauber, which currently competes as Alfa Romeo. Audi is also developing an F1 power unit, while Ford will only be serving as a technical partner to Red Bull.
