General Motors considers Formula 1 entry from 2027 as a motor manufacturer, most likely partnering with Andretti. Further updates have come to light ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
Could Andretti contribute its own engine manufacturer to Formula 1 with General Motors (GM) after all? The American racing team is currently bidding for a place in the ‘pinnacle of motorsport’ and has won GM sub-brand Cadillac as a manufacturer partner.
Nevertheless, the competition has so far not been convinced by the plans, partly because they fear that Cadillac is only giving its name. This appears not to be the case as GM intend to bring an ‘all American’ engine to Formula 1.
Delayed entry in F1
But the General Motors group now says it can imagine entering Formula One as an engine manufacturer – but not until 2027 at the earliest.
“It’s something we’re looking at,” chief executive Eric Warren confirmed to Autosport.
“We are looking at the power units.” confirms the American.
But entry for 2026 is ruled out because the FIA has already announced the six manufacturers that have signed up under the new engine regulations: Mercedes, Ferrari, Renault, Honda, Red-Bull-Ford as well as Audi.
This means that the Andretti team, should it be awarded the contract as a new Formula 1 team, would first have to race with a customer engine. That would reportedly be Renault.
“We want to get going first and make sure we’re competitive, and then we’ll see what makes the most sense,” says Warren.
In doing so, he also stresses that the partnership between Andretti and Cadillac is not just to exist on paper:
“GM is motivated to be involved in the car and the design – and in the whole process,” he clarifies. “It’s not about just rebadging an engine.”
“The interaction between Cadillac and Andretti will be throughout the vehicle.”
Andretti is bullish
For Andretti, bringing in GM and Cadillac is the golden ticket, and a box ticked in terms of partnering with a proactive and very large manufacturer.
“We’re bringing one of the biggest manufacturers in the world now with us with General Motors, motors in Cadillac,” Andretti said.
“So we feel that that was the one box we didn’t have checked that we do have checked now.
“That, I think, will be bringing a tremendous amount of support now to Formula 1.
“It’s hard for anyone to argue with that now.”
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Cadillac to build F1 engine in the US
Cadillac already owns an engine shop and produces naturally aspirated 5.5-litre V8 engines for LMDh prototypes at the GM Performance and Racing Center in Pontiac, Michigan. Warren cannot say whether the Formula 1 engines would also be manufactured entirely there.
“I think it’s difficult for a manufacturer to say that an engine is 100 per cent of their own production,” he says. “They always have technical partners they work with. But I think we have capabilities that would contribute significantly to that.”
“I think we could do that,” he says of a possible engine programme, “but whether we choose to do that and which elements is still to be determined.”
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