Cadillac gears up for its 2026 F1 debut, battling clock pressure, fierce rivals, and the challenge of proving it belongs on the grid.
The road to Formula 1 hasn’t been easy for Cadillac, but the American giant is finally on track for its official debut in 2026. And while many hurdles remain, there’s a noticeable shift: the paddock is now far more welcoming.
This weekend in Miami, Cadillac F1 hosted a private launch event. The only detail revealed to the public was the team’s 2026 livery, featuring a sleek combination of black, white, silver, and chrome. You can see it in the video linked below.
After Graeme Lowdon spoke recently about the team’s progress, it was Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsport, the organization overseeing Cadillac’s F1 entry, who offered an update this time. His job is enormous, as he prepares the team to become the 11th entry on the grid next season.
The countdown has officially begun. The first race of the 2026 season is rapidly approaching.
Just getting to this point has been a victory in itself. Convincing General Motors to join, distancing from the Andretti name, and navigating resistance from existing teams were just a few of the major challenges Cadillac had to face.
“It was definitely a relief, at least momentarily,” Towriss admitted. “But then you realize the clock has started.”
Many teams initially pushed back hard against Cadillac’s entry. That opposition, however, ended up forging a stronger bond within the project.
“I’m actually glad I didn’t know how tough the process would be at the start,” Towriss said. “We had to go through a lot just to get approved.”
“That journey strengthened our relationship with GM. It made the partnership more resilient than it might have been if we’d gotten in without resistance.”
He credits much of the team’s current strength to the adversity they’ve faced so far.
“What we built during that period, especially the team Graeme put together in Silverstone, wouldn’t be what it is today without the setbacks. We’re proud of where we are now.”
This wasn’t just about submitting a flashy presentation. Cadillac had to prove its seriousness with real progress behind the scenes.
“We were hiring, testing car models in wind tunnels, and developing designs to show our pitch wasn’t just theory,” said Towriss. “Then on the business side, we had to prove the commercial value of our GM partnership. We heard ‘no’ more than once, and not always politely.”
Eventually, the tides turned, and the value Cadillac could bring to F1 became clear. Now that the green light is official, the reception has been far more encouraging.
“We’ve felt a warm welcome,” Towriss confirmed. “Our interim partnership with Ferrari has been fantastic, and we’ve had positive conversations with other team principals, Liberty Media, and the FIA.”
But optimism doesn’t erase the pressure. The clock is ticking fast, and Cadillac is racing against time.
“There’s a countdown clock at the factory. Everyone knows time is not on our side,” Towriss admitted.
Their wind tunnel testing has been limited. The models used so far didn’t include real Pirelli tires, just digital representations, making it difficult to correlate results to real-world track data. On top of that, Cadillac lacks the historical data and infrastructure that established teams rely on.
Another major challenge lies in recruitment. Hiring experienced F1 engineers often involves “gardening leave”, a non-compete period during which new hires can’t contribute to car development.
“The good news is, we’ve been hiring for years,” Towriss said. “We’ve brought in great F1 talent, and we’re managing those transitions as best we can. It’s still a challenge, but we’re confident in the team we’re building.”
The structure is global. Cadillac’s main technical base will be in Silverstone, but parts manufacturing will take place in Fishers, Indiana. However, that U.S. facility won’t be fully operational in time for 2026.
“We expect Fishers to open commercially by the end of Q1 next year,” said Towriss. “Manufacturing capacity will expand gradually, and we’ll bring more work in-house once we’re confident in doing it at a high standard.”
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Cadillac Faces Steep Climb Ahead of 2026 F1 Debut Cadillac Faces Steep Climb Ahead of 2026 F1 Debut
