Cadillac’s F1 Dream Survives Fierce Political Storm

Rejected, rebranded, and relentless — Cadillac pushed through opposition and high-level politics to finally earn its place in Formula 1.

Now officially set to join the Formula 1 grid in 2026, Cadillac’s entry into the sport has been anything but smooth. With Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, signing the updated Concorde Agreement, the long and political journey to F1 is finally reaching its destination — but not without its share of drama behind the scenes.

What began as the Andretti-Cadillac project quickly became a lightning rod for controversy. Despite FIA approval, the effort faced strong resistance from both Liberty Media, F1’s commercial rights holder, and all ten existing teams. The dispute escalated beyond motorsport, even drawing attention from top U.S. government officials.

At the center of the storm was a bold statement made by Liberty’s then-CEO, Greg Maffei. Recalling an encounter at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, F1 legend Mario Andretti revealed:

“Greg came up to me and said, ‘Mario, I just want you to know — I’ll do everything in my power to make sure Michael never gets into F1.’”

That moment signaled a turning point.

Eventually, Michael Andretti stepped back from the project that bore his family name. The entry was rebranded entirely under the Cadillac banner, with full support from General Motors. This strategic pivot allowed the team to finally secure a place as the 11th outfit on the grid for 2026.

Speaking candidly about that evolution, Dan Towriss didn’t shy away from the tension.

“You can go back to Greg’s quote,” he said. “He said what he said.”

Towriss, whose company TWG Motorsports now holds majority ownership of Andretti Global and manages the Cadillac F1 program, recalled the moment Michael Andretti decided it was time to step away.

“Michael started saying it just wasn’t fun anymore,” Towriss explained. “That was the moment we realized — okay, we need to find a new way forward.”

The challenge then became managing a graceful transition, especially considering TWG’s significant investment in both Andretti Global and the broader IndyCar ecosystem.

As for the process of breaking into Formula 1, Towriss described it as a high-stakes, high-pressure affair.

“From the inside, the pressure was intense. There were some very tough meetings with F1 and things happening behind the scenes,” he said. “This was a big operation, and at times it got very political. Parts of our proposal weren’t well understood, and that created friction. F1 was very firm on certain points.”

For many American motorsport fans, the apparent rejection of Michael Andretti felt personal. But in a recent interview, Andretti made it clear he has no regrets.

“Honestly, I feel great,” he said. “Everyone keeps telling me how much happier I seem — and they’re right. I didn’t even realize how stressed I was before. Now, I’m not carrying that weight. I didn’t know what to expect stepping back, but I’m genuinely happy.”

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Inside Cadillac’s Bold Fight for F1 Recognition
Inside Cadillac’s Bold Fight for F1 Recognition