GM revives bid to join F1 with accelerated talks for 2026 entry

Automotive giant General Motors is reportedly back in the game as a potential entrant in Formula 1 after engaging in direct talks with the latter regarding joining the grid as early as 2026.

The renewed push could see GM partner with Andretti Global’s existing infrastructure, with the Cadillac name likely fronting the effort.

The FIA had previously approved Andretti Global’s bid for a 2026 entry, but Formula 1 rejected it on commercial grounds, citing concerns over the American outfit’s ability to achieve medium-term competitiveness and deliver added value to the series.

Despite this, Andretti continued developing its Formula 1 project, establishing a facility near Silverstone and recruiting key personnel such as former F1 technical expert Pat Symonds.

But a turning point came in September when Michael Andretti stepped back as the face of the organization, ceding control to Dan Towriss, CEO of Group 1001 and a key investor in the team.

Towriss’s leadership is believed to have refreshed Andretti’s relationship with F1, giving GM’s Cadillac-backed bid a chance to move forward. Towriss was seen in the paddock on Thursday at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, according to a report from Motrosport.com, which further signaled the seriousness of the ongoing talks.

• Read also: Andretti's F1 plans unaffected by power shift but questions linger

While F1 initially suggested Andretti and GM might reapply for a 2028 slot, current negotiations indicate an earlier debut could be feasible. If accepted for 2026, GM would likely leverage Andretti’s existing Silverstone-based project to meet the tight timeline.

The team has already run wind tunnel tests with a 2026 design at Toyota’s Cologne facility and begun assembling resources for a competitive debut.

However, one challenge for the GM-backed entry will be engine supply. GM’s works engine program isn’t expected to be ready before 2028. As a result, the team would need customer engines for its first two seasons, with Ferrari and Honda emerging as the most probable suppliers.

Although there has been speculation about GM taking over Renault’s 2026 engine intellectual property (IP) after Renault abandoned its project, it now seems GM will develop its engines independently.

The prospect of GM entering F1 has garnered a mix of interest and cautious optimism. But Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, speaking during a Thursday press conference, appeared open to GM’s inclusion although he made clear that F1’s teams don’t have a formal say on the matter.

"If a team can add to the championship, particularly if GM decides to come in as a team owner, that is a different story," Wolff said.

"And as long as it is creative, that means we're growing the popularity of the sport, we're growing the revenue of the sport, then no team will be ever against it.

"No one from Andretti or Andretti Global or whatever the name will be has ever spoken to me a single sentence in a presentation of what the creative part is.

“But they don't need to because the teams don't decide. It is the commercial rights holder, with the FIA, we have no say."

With discussions advancing, GM’s bid represents a potential seismic shift in Formula 1. If successful, it would mark the return of a major American manufacturer to the pinnacle of motorsport, boosting the sport’s growing popularity in the United States.

For now, the racing world waits to see if GM and Andretti’s revamped effort can clear the hurdles and join the grid in 2026.

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