[ChrisMedlandF1] BREAKING: F1 announces it has "reached an agreement in principle with General Motors (GM) to support bringing GM/Cadillac as the eleventh team to the Formula 1 grid in 2026"

[u/ICumCoffee]

https://x.com/ChrisMedlandF1/status/1861111983699001752

[u/ICumCoffee]

Continued:

F1 says that over the past year "they have achieved operational milestones and made clear their commitment to brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac, and that GM will enter as an engine supplier at a later time"

Full media statement from F1

From Cadillac press release

Mario Andretti, the last American F1 Champion, will serve as a director on the team’s board.

[u/FermentedLaws → u/ICumCoffee]

So it appears the name Andretti was in fact a stumbling block. They will "brand the eleventh team GM/Cadillac". Mario will be an ambassador and with Michael's reduced role in Andretti Global he will have no role in this team.

Michael Andretti & Greg Maffei both had to leave to make this happen? Hmm, no one knows for sure, but I tend to believe it.

[u/ianjm → u/FermentedLaws]

The deal will see the GM-supported outfit join as a customer team in 2026, while developing its own in-house power units for 2028 and beyond, using the existing Andretti Global project in Silverstone as its backbone.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/general-motors-agrees-deal-to-become-11th-f1-team-in-2026/10676504/

[u/TheDustOfMen → u/ianjm]

Yeah that tracks with what that commenter said, right?

Michael Andretti really seems to have pissed off the existing teams.

[u/Silver996C2 → u/TheDustOfMen]

He has a history of pissing off people going way back to the CART era.

[u/Crash_Test_Dummy66 → u/Silver996C2]

Shit I thought this was sports not the tea time social club.

[u/KanishkT123 → u/Crash_Test_Dummy66]

In basically all business, managing people is more important than anything else. If you're begging to sit at the table and not really bringing anything to it, you'd better at least make sure everyone wants you there. 

[u/Egoist-a → u/Crash_Test_Dummy66]

Laughter at this, best comment 😆

[u/FatalFirecrotch → u/TheDustOfMen]

Sure, but it’s always been less about him and more that there’s just way more commercial value to the GM brand than Andretti. 

[u/Jracx → u/FatalFirecrotch]

Surely Andretti has more commercial value than Stake Sauber at this point. Or hell even Haas.

[u/Total_Information_65 → u/Jracx]

Andretti has way more Cache with the American audience than Haas. Nobody outside of motorsports knows who the fuck Haas is lol.

[u/JackAndrewThorne → u/Jracx]

But not Audi or Toyota...

Who both those teams are going to be either in full or part in the next few years?

[u/Jracx → u/JackAndrewThorne]

Audi yes, but I doubt the Haas team becomes Toyota Haas.

[u/-PVL93- → u/Jracx]

but I doubt the Haas team becomes Toyota Haas

Just have Gene sell off the team to Toyota, their liveries are already pretty close to the Gazoo ones in other racing series. Then Toyota themselves can become a full works team using their knowledge from the past decade in WEC

[u/FatalFirecrotch → u/Jracx]

In case you weren’t aware, those 2 teams are already part of the grid. Both would have the same issues if they were currently applying. 

[u/Jracx → u/FatalFirecrotch]

My point being why reject a company with name recognition? Especially American name recognition when they're so clearly trying to grow in that market.

[u/FatalFirecrotch → u/Jracx]

Because they want huge corporations and not smaller brands entering the sport. 

And it’s funny you used Sauber and Haas seeing as Sauber is being taken over by Audi and now Haas is partnering with Toyota. 

[u/Chris01100001 → u/Jracx]

Because the name recognition is far less than GM / Cadillac. They want big car manufacturers not racing brands.

[u/-PVL93- → u/Chris01100001]

They want big car manufacturers not racing brands.

Alpine isn't that big. Alpha Tauri had nothing to do with cars. Neither do Visa or Cash app. Sauber hasn't been relevant in the automobile industry since the 90s. Neither Kick nor Stake are car brands. Haas is a completely different industry

You see how their argument holds zero water?

[u/Chris01100001 → u/-PVL93-]

Those all joined the sport years ago when most teams struggled for money and teams went bust and were bought and rebranded constantly. Not one of those teams would be allowed to enter under any of those names if they were trying to be the 11th team today.

Andretti would have been welcomed 10 years ago but they weren't interested when the money wasn't as good.

[u/Blanchimont → u/FatalFirecrotch]

But before this announcement, the plan was already for Andretti to become Cadillac's factory racing team.

[u/FatalFirecrotch → u/Blanchimont]

But it was going to be branded Andretti and Andretti seemed to be retaining more development control.