General Motors gears up to enter Formula 1 as power unit supplier
US automotive giant General Motors (GM) is set to make its mark in the pinnacle of single-seater motor racing, Formula 1, as it officially registers as a power unit supplier for the sport.
Starting from the 2028 season onwards, GM will have the capability to provide power units, comprising the engine, exhaust, turbocharger and other essential components, to F1 teams opting to leverage their technology.
GM’s entry into Formula 1 is closely tied to the manufacturer’s brand Cadillac, which has applied to join the F1 grid as the 11th team under the Andretti Cadillac F1 Team entry.
While Andretti, anticipating entry in either 2025 or 2026, may become part of the series earlier, GM’s involvement will commence from 2028. Consequently, Andretti won’t produce power units in-house for its initial two seasons.
GM will enter a competitive field of power unit manufacturers from 2028, including Red Bull-Ford, Ferrari, Honda, Mercedes, Alpine-Renault and Audi, making it the second US power unit manufacturer after Ford.
🚨 | BREAKING: General Motors Registers as a Formula 1 Power Unit Manufacturer
General Motors today announced that it has formally registered with the FIA as a Formula 1 power unit manufacturer starting in the 2028 season.
“We are thrilled that our new Andretti Cadillac F1… pic.twitter.com/iDwJPOy5Uw
— Desi Racing Co. (@DesiRacingco) November 14, 2023
New power unit regulations slated for the 2026 season could potentially disrupt the established order of the sport, requiring Andretti to navigate potential uncertainties at the outset.
Despite this, Andretti president Mark Reuss is optimistic about GM’s competitiveness once it enters the sport in 2028.
“We are thrilled that our new Andretti Cadillac F1 entry will be powered by a GM power unit,” Reuss said.
“With our deep engineering and racing expertise, we’re confident we’ll develop a successful power unit for the series, and position Andretti Cadillac as a true works team.”
While Andretti Cadillac’s entry has received approval from the International Automobile Federation (FIA), the governing body, it still needs approval from F1’s promoters, the Formula One Group (FOG), to clear the final hurdle.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is optimistic about Andretti’s team approval, either in 2025 or 2026. However, FOG president Stefano Domenicali has expressed scepticism about having an 11th team on the grid.
Nonetheless, the confirmed in-house power unit manufacturer could strengthen Andretti Cadillac’s case for approval.
Image credit: GM / Cadillac
