The Cadillac F1 Team has been fully approved to race in 2026

Release the bald eagles, fettle those 108bhp 9.0-litre V8s and prepare to think up many more cliches, because Cadillac has received final approval to join the F1 grid in 2026. Yeehaw!

Of course, we were pretty certain this day would eventually come, especially since it was announced in November last year that Cadillac had secured an agreement in principle to enter F1.

But now we have real, genuine confirmation. A short joint statement from the FIA and Formula One said: “Following the completion of their respective sporting, technical and commercial assessments, the application by General Motors and TWG Motorsports to bring a Cadillac team to the FIA Formula One World Championship from 2026 has been approved.”

To celebrate, the new Cadillac team released a short video on Instagram that featured an all-black F1 car. Props to them if that’s the livery they’re going for.

Cadillac also described itself as “a distinctly American team” thanks to its partnership with TWG Motorsports, which is essentially a new super company formed of lots of different racing teams that were previously under the Andretti Global banner. Despite this, it has announced that its team principal will be the British former Marussia sporting director, Graeme Lowdon. Oh, and it’ll have a facility in Silverstone as well as outfits in Indianapolis, Charlotte and Warren.

The team will use Ferrari engines initially but has plans to become a full works team in the future, developing its own powertrains under the TWG GM Performance Power Units LLC banner. Exciting name.

TWG Motorsports has already assembled a team of over 300 people to work on “aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software and vehicle dynamics simulation”. There’s also a wind-tunnel model already in testing and parts production is underway.

“Today marks a transformative moment, and I am proud to lead the Federation in this progressive step for the championship,” said FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

“The FIA Formula One Championship's expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone. GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy, aligning with the new FIA 2026 regulations and ushering in an exciting era for the sport.

“The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s presence in the paddock will inspire future competitors and fans. Their entry strengthens our mission to push motorsport’s boundaries at the highest level.”