Cadillac’s F1 Dream Becomes Reality, Now the Clock is Ticking

Cadillac F1 secures its 2026 entry, but tight deadlines and unprecedented scrutiny mean the team must move fast to stay competitive.

Cadillac F1 has officially secured its spot in the 2026 Formula 1 Championship. The team, backed by automotive giant General Motors and taking over from the original Andretti Global project, is now facing tighter deadlines than expected, as explained by team director Graeme Lowdon.

“Of course, we would have preferred for everything to happen much earlier—that goes without saying,” Lowdon admitted. While he takes pride in following the process, he acknowledges the urgency the team is now dealing with. “But we respected the process every step of the way. It was incredibly thorough.”

“That’s something I really want to highlight. In fact, I’d say it was unprecedented in terms of the level of scrutiny involved,” he continued. “We are very grateful to the FIA and FOM for conducting such a comprehensive evaluation.”

However, this rigorous process came at a cost. “The flip side of the coin is that, for the first time, we are free to operate like any other team, but time is extremely short. That’s part of the challenge, and we need to step up, face it, and move forward.”

Would an earlier confirmation have been preferable? “Yes, absolutely,” Lowdon admitted. “But we followed the process, and this is the timeline we were given. Now, it’s about moving forward and ensuring we do the best job possible.”

Navigating New Rules Without a Concorde Agreement

Despite the absence of a Concorde Agreement governing next year’s championship, Cadillac has already agreed to adhere to specific regulations. “As far as the rules we’re subject to, we will have to comply with the 2026 regulations just like any other team,” Lowdon explained.

“On top of that, there are additional regulations we’ve voluntarily agreed to follow this year, which is, again, unprecedented. For instance, when Haas entered F1, they weren’t bound by any regulations until they actually started racing.”

“But we have chosen to adhere to certain rules—either by agreement or, in some cases, by our own decision. So, the entire entry process is different from how previous teams have joined the grid.”

Now, with the green light secured, Cadillac F1 faces a race against time. The challenge is immense, but the team is determined to rise to the occasion.