Looking to compete in the FIA Formula One World Championship, Andretti Global and General Motors announced Thursday they intend to compete in F1. The Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the U.S. with an additional facility in the U.K. for team support.
“We have a long, rich history in motorsports and engineering innovation, and we are thrilled with the prospect of pairing with Andretti Global to form an American F1 team that will help spur even more global interest in the series and the sport,” said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors, in a statement.
What comes next
When the FIA starts the official procedure, the Andretti Cadillac team intends to file an Expression of Interest. If chosen, the team hopes to start competing with at least one American driver as soon as is feasible.
“I feel very strongly that we are suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners,” said Michael Andretti, chairman of Andretti Global and son of 1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti. “GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing. We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.”
F1’s expansion
The new partnership follows FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s declaration that the FIA is considering expanding Formula One beyond the current total of 10 teams, and it broadens the international reach for both Cadillac and Andretti Global.
While F1’s popularity has been expanding worldwide, it’s most recently grown in the United States, with 2023 races scheduled to be run in Austin, Texas, Miami and Las Vegas.
Andretti Global, the parent company of Andretti Autosport and other Andretti racing endeavors, is a multinational racing organization currently competing in seven top-tier series.
Racing is not new for GM
It is not the first time GM has worked with Andretti. In their last collaboration, Andretti and GM won nine races over the course of two seasons in 2012 when Chevrolet returned to the NTT Indycar Series. Additionally, the pair won the Driver, Team and Manufacturer awards in 2012.
Later, with the Cadillac DPi-V.R, the Cadillac V-Series has enjoyed track success in the Pirelli World Challenge and the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, earning multiple victories, podium finishes, and titles since 2017.
Then in October 2022, Cadillac Racing confirmed it will be competing in the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class with the Cadillac V-LMDh race car, with a full-time driver line-up in the 2023 WEC and IMSA Championships, including Cadillac’s first outing to the 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2002.
Richard Westbrook will join Earl Bamber and Alex Lynn, who co-drove the No. 02 Cadillac DPi-V.R to win in the 2022 Twelve Hours of Sebring, to drive the Chip Ganassi Racing prepared Cadillac V-LMDh.
The 2023 World Endurance Championship season begins March 17 with the 1,000 Miles of Sebring in Florida.
