Cadillac’s Preparation for F1 2026
Cadillac anticipates facing challenges in the 2026 Formula 1 season, expecting to finish towards the back of the grid instead of achieving immediate success like previous new teams. The approval of their entry, co-owned by General Motors and TWG Motorsports, came in March 2023 after a prior rejection at the beginning of the year.
The delayed approval has impacted Cadillac’s readiness for the 2026 season, and despite this, they are determined not to postpone their entry. They are racing against the clock to prepare their team and secure a Ferrari customer engine for their debut.
Currently, F1 is in a highly competitive phase, with all ten existing teams enjoying substantial investment. Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac’s team principal, acknowledges the significant challenge ahead, emphasizing the need for respect and recognition of established teams’ efforts in the sport.
Lowdon remarked that expectations for Cadillac should be realistic, suggesting that they would likely finish at the bottom of the standings, underscoring the difficulties in breaking into the fiercely competitive structure of F1. However, he also pointed out that Cadillac has made considerable headway, having recruited numerous staff and initiated development at their UK facility.
Despite the progress, Cadillac faces hurdles as they expand their facilities under the budget cap, which limits their expenditure while still requiring them to be competitive. Lowdon highlighted the challenges of entering F1 today, with numerous regulations already in place that were not applicable when Haas entered in 2016.
There will be countdowns in their facilities leading to key milestones, such as the car’s first fire-up and the opening race weekend of 2026. While the experienced personnel instill confidence in meeting deadlines, communication with fans regarding the challenges ahead is equally essential.
Lowdon stressed the importance of conveying the complexity of their task to fans and the respect they hold for their competition. Despite their ambitions to be competitive, he reiterated the significant effort required to succeed in such a challenging environment.
