While Cadillac’s entry onto the Formula 1 grid was highly anticipated, their debut has been a masterclass in the brutal reality of starting a modern F1 team from scratch. The original roots of the Cadillac F1 team stem from a long, dramatic, and highly publicized push by American motorsport royalty Michael Andretti to bring his organization, Andretti Global, onto the Formula 1 grid.
The team’s journey from a rejected American dream by the F1 private members’ club to an official Cadillac works-backed entry evolved through a few distinct stages. Michael Andretti (son of 1978 F1 World Champion Mario Andretti) spent years trying to enter F1. In 2021, he came incredibly close to buying a majority stake in the Sauber team (now Audi), but the deal collapsed at the final hour over control issues.
Failed beginnings
Audi eventually acquired Sauber for a sum reportedly in the region of €600m. Frustrated, Andretti decided to build a brand-new team from scratch and formally petitioned the FIA to open an “expression of interest” process for an 11th grid slot.
To strengthen their bid against fierce resistance from existing F1 teams—who didn’t want to dilute their prize-money pot—Andretti partnered with General Motors (GM) in early 2023. They announced they would enter under the Andretti Cadillac banner.
Yet even this appeared not to impress the F1 piranha club, whose resistance eventually folded when the US Department of Justice began an investigation into anticompetitive behavior by the FIA with the threat of a multibillion-dollar fine and potentially seeing Formula One banned from racing in its prized United States of America venues.
US justice department threatens F1 with billions in fines
As F1 senior figures entered the US for the 2024 Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, they were accompanied by legal representatives and, hey presto—a deal was done before the weekend was out to allow the renamed Cadillac team into F1.
As a sop to certain high-ranking F1 officials who had sworn Michael Andretti would never own an F1 team, the breakthrough came when Dan Towriss (CEO of Group 1001 and Andretti’s primary financial backer via Gainbridge) and GM took a more dominant role in navigating the corporate politics. Michael Andretti stepped back from formal ownership/leadership of Andretti Global, which helped smooth over personal tensions between him and F1 leadership.
Cadillac did not commit to building one of the all-new 2026 F1 power units given it was behind the curve with the rest of the manufacturers having started their engine projects some years previously. In 2025, the FIA indicated that the US-owned team running Ferrari engines would only receive manufacturer status in 2029.
Michael Andretti forced out
With Michael Andretti sidelined, Dan Towriss and General Motors were left to steer the ship, and FOM officially approved the entry in late 2024. Because GM was putting up the ultimate corporate and financial weight—and planning a full “works” engine for the future—the team dropped the “Andretti” name from the official entry, debuting on the grid simply as Cadillac F1 Team.
However, the infrastructure, the staff, the Silverstone base, and the financial backing of Towriss’ Group 1001 are all the direct layout of what was originally Michael Andretti’s dream. Cadillac’s entry to the F1 grid was highly anticipated, but their debut has been a masterclass in the brutal reality of starting a modern F1 team from scratch.
Operating out of their rapidly built infrastructure and utilizing Ferrari customer power units for their debut season, Cadillac’s performance so far has been a tale of two different stories: the disappointing reality on the timing sheets versus massive praise for their operational achievements behind the scenes.
Sergio Perez demands ‘more performance’ and quickly
The stopwatch reveals Cadillac has endured the predictable growing pains of a brand-new entrant. Formula 1 is fiercely competitive, and closing a multi-year development gap overnight is nearly impossible. Across the four race weekends to date, the US-owned team has consistently qualified at the back of the grid, frequently lacking the raw aerodynamic downforce and chassis refinement of even the lower-midfield teams like Audi or Williams.
In the Grand Prix sessions, they have often found themselves running a lonely race at the rear, frequently being lapped by the front-runners. Their driver Sergio Perez even publicly urged Cadillac to “find performance” quickly or risk being permanently left behind.
The team entered the season-opening Australian Grand Prix with high spirits, but team CEO Dan Towriss admitted that any pre-season illusions “evaporated once the lights went out in Melbourne” and they realized just how intensely competitive the grid is.
Huge behind the scenes operations
While in certain quarters, fans and critics focus on the slow lap times, the view inside the F1 paddock is actually one of immense respect. What Cadillac has achieved logistically is considered a massive feat.
In an incredibly short time frame, Cadillac had to manage a massive real estate project, recruit hundreds of top-tier engineers and mechanics, and establish a multicontinental parts-tracking supply chain to ship components across the global F1 calendar.
Despite being slow, the cars are running. Avoiding frequent mechanical failures or embarrassing operational blunders on pit lane during their first handful of races is a massive win for a brand-new organization.
Cadillac boss fires back at critics: “You don’t know much about F1”
Now the Cadillac leadership is preaching patience, emphasizing that they are treating this season as an extended, live-fire testing session. CEO Dan Towriss has now fired back at critics who call them mere backmarkers, stating they “don’t know much about Formula 1” if they fail to appreciate how incredible it is just to get two functioning, reliable cars onto the grid in such a short window.
“As everyone knows, it’s a really hard sport. It’s the pinnacle of motorsport. What we have been able to build is great,” says Towriss. “Now it’s just how do we take that and continue to build and make the learning curve and trajectory of progress as steep as possible.”
For Cadillac, the current phase is entirely about establishing a foundation. The stopwatch isn’t flattering right now, but the team insists they are ahead of their short-term internal goals as they gear up for a steep, long-term development climb.
Would you like to see more TJ13 Formula 1 coverage? Add us to your favourites list on Google to receive trusted F1 news.
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
A.J. Hunt is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Andrew oversees editorial standards and contributes to the site’s Formula 1 coverage. A career journalist with experience in both print and digital sports media, Andrew trained in investigative journalism and has written for a range of European sports outlets.
At TJ13, Andrew plays a central role in shaping the site’s output, working across breaking news, analysis, and long-form features. Andrew’s responsibilities include fact-checking, refining editorial structure, and ensuring consistency in reporting across a fast-moving news cycle.
Andrew’s work focuses particularly on the intersection of Formula 1 politics, regulation, and team strategy. Andrew closely follows developments involving the FIA, team leadership, and driver market dynamics, helping to provide context behind the sport’s biggest stories.
With experience covering multiple seasons of Formula 1’s modern hybrid era, Andrew has developed a detailed understanding of how regulatory changes and competitive shifts influence the grid. Andrew’s editorial approach prioritises clarity and context, aiming to help readers navigate complex developments within the sport.
In addition to editorial duties, Andrew is particularly interested in how media narratives shape fan perception of Formula 1, and how reporting can balance speed with accuracy in an increasingly digital news environment.
