No GM Power Unit is to be used in the Andretti Cadillac F1 bid.
There won’t be a General Motors engine used in Cadillac and Andretti Global’s joint F1 entry.
The two American companies will work together to create a brand new Formula One team, it was announced yesterday.
This would result in the team’s base of operations being in the United States and a supporting facility being in the United Kingdom.
It coincides with Andretti’s long-held desire to compete in the world championship and occurs before the 2026 deadline for technical regulation modifications.
After an attempt to buy the Sauber team last year fell through, Andretti decided to move forward with the creation of a new entry.
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That led to cooperation with GM, though it’s unclear what the automaker gains from the alliance.
Mark Reuss, President of General Motors has confirmed that his business has no plans to enter the sport as a power unit manufacturer.
“We have a signed agreement with a power unit supplier, to begin with,” he said when asked if the company had registered as a power unit supplier with the FIA.
“Then, as we move forward, we bring a lot of our expertise to create things for the future as well.”
Reuss ruled out a prospective partnership with Honda, with whom GM’s road car division has ties.
“We do have a large partnership with Honda. We also compete against Honda in series like IndyCar as well,” he explained.
“So we have that natural respect and relationship, which is not problematic at all.
“We’ll talk about the engine piece of this [at] a later date.”
From 2026, Formula 1 will focus more on electrification, with rules simplified to attract new entrants.
The MGU-H component has been eliminated for 2026 and beyond, while cars will use fully sustainable fuel.
Under these conditions, Audi has announced its plans to enter Formula 1, both as a strategic partner of Sauber Motorsport and as an independent manufacturer of drive units.
It is still unclear when or even if Andretti Cadillac will join the sport. “It’s going to depend on the Expression of Interest, how long that takes, and where we are at the time,” Andretti said of a potential entry date.
“But we are going to be on track as soon as it all makes sense to be on track.
“It is still an FIA Series,” he added when if support from FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was enough to get the new team on the grid.
“The President has definitely showed that you really would like to have an 11th team at least on the grid.
“He is a racer and he understands the importance of that for the series itself.
“We feel very confident that, once the Expression of Interest goes out, especially having a great partnership with Cadillac, we have a very, very, very good shot at checking every box and being able to be on the grid soon.”
It does seem to increase its chances that General Motors has joined Andretti’s attempt. An objection to the new entry was that it would be better if a manufacturer’s effort were made. Cadillac’s addition makes it appear as though Andretti has accomplished that.
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“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.”
