Formula 1 expands grid as General Motors to become the 11th team in 2026
New York Times1 day
GM's Cadillac to Join F1 as 11th Team in 2026
Above: The F1 Grand Prix of Las Vegas at Las Vegas Strip Circuit on Nov. 23, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Image copyright: Clive Rose/Contributor/Formula 1 via Getty Images
The Facts
Formula 1 has reached an agreement in principle with General Motors to bring Cadillac to the grid as the sport's eleventh team starting in 2026. This would mark the first team expansion since Haas joined in 2016.
The deal requires GM and TWG Global to pay a $450M anti-dilution fee to existing teams as compensation for sharing the prize money pool, which will now be split eleven ways instead of 10.
The Spin
Narrative A
The addition of an iconic American manufacturer like GM brings unprecedented value to F1. It promises significant technological innovation and expands the sport's growing US presence, with three Grand Prix races already on the calendar. GM's commitment to becoming a full-work team demonstrates its serious long-term investment to competing at the highest level of motorsport.
Narrative B
The new team's entry poses significant financial and competitive challenges, as splitting the prize money eleven ways will impact existing teams' revenues. Additionally, building a competitive F1 operation from scratch could take up to a decade of heavy investment, and there are concerns about the team's ability to be immediately competitive against well-established competitors.