General Motors F1 team issued MAJOR driver signing warning ahead of entry

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General Motors issued MAJOR driver signing warning ahead of F1 entry

Cadillac will become the 11th F1 team in 2026

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Tuesday 3 December 2024 11:59

General Motors have been issued a major warning ahead of their Formula 1 entry in 2026.

The prospect of an 11th team joining the F1 grid was originally led by the Andretti name, a motorsport giant who currently field teams in IndyCar and Formula E.

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However, their bid was rejected at the beginning of this year, and team chief Michael Andretti stepped down from his role in the entry.

The team originally launched their bid in conjunction with General Motors-backed brand Cadillac, but the Andretti name has since been dropped in light of their new bid, and is now being led by the Cadillac name, with a strong Andretti influence behind the scenes.

Andretti's original bid was rejected at the beginning of 2024

Who will race for Cadillac F1?

Following talks at the Las Vegas GP, it was revealed that Cadillac would join the F1 grid as the 11th team.

Not only are Cadillac expected to race from 2026, but General Motors also plans to produce power units for the new entry by 2028, whilst they are reportedly set to use Ferrari engines for the first two years.

Cadillac’s place on the grid will also allow two new drivers to join the grid, with the team reportedly looking to field a F1 veteran and a young American driver such as IndyCar star Colton Herta.

However, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has issued a warning about hiring a star from across the pond, and remained sceptical over whether an IndyCar driver could handle the level of F1.

"I am quite sure that they [General Motors] will rely on American talent," he told Sky Sports Germany.

"But to be completely honest, the IndyCar level is not comparable to that of Formula 1. Countless test drives have already shown that.

"Of course, that does not mean that there are no super talents lurking there that no one has discovered yet."

Formula 1 IndyCar Formula E Michael Andretti