New Team on the Grid: Cadillac Gets Green Light for 2026 Season
After months of talks with the FIA, Cadillac is finally joining the F1 grid for the 2026 season. General Motors and TWG Motorsports got their application for a Cadillac team approved by the FIA and Formula 1 Management today. The new team finally completed its respective sporting, technical, and commercial assessments, allowing the 11th team to join. With Formula 1 progressing a lot in recent seasons, like 2025 having the most races in a season at 24 Grand Prixs, a new team was essential to keep the competition fresh and interesting.
Cadillac will be the second American-owned team on the Formula 1 grid, alongside Haas. With the American team comes more American sponsors, as F1 saw with Haas, bringing in more sports revenue. Cadillac is likely trying to get a head start on the 2026 season and is probably already trying to get its drivers ready. There has been much speculation that Cadillac will sign American drivers, but team principal Graeme Lowdon has gone on record saying they’ll choose drivers based on merit, not just nationality. Although Lowdon claimed that, American driver Colton Herta has been linked to Cadillac, which could help Formula 1 bring in more American sponsorships. The IndyCar driver is the youngest racer ever to win an IndyCar Series race, proving his skills and ability to handle pressure.
Another driver that Cadillac would be wise to pursue is ex-Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez. After the Mexican driver sadly lost his seat at Red Bull at the end of 2024, Perez was forced to retire from F1 before being ready. However, Cadillac could be a new chance for him to prove himself. Although Perez was dropped from Red Bull for his ‘bad’ 2024 season, the driver placed eighth with 152 points, outscoring more than half the grid. With his experience in Formula 1, Sergio Perez’s insider knowledge will benefit Cadillac immensely.
With Cadillac preparing for the 2026 season, fans cannot wait to see what the team brings to the grid and the sport. As numerous contracts will end by the 2026 season, Cadillac will have multiple driver options, like Visa Cash App Racing Bulls driver Yuki Tsunoda or Mercedes AMG driver George Russell. With Cadillac not being the only new team on the 2026 F1 grid since Kick Sauber will turn into an Audi team, next season’s grid will look nothing like it does now. Formula 1 continues to change in an attempt to keep the sport interesting, leaving fans wondering what’s next or, better yet, who’s next to join.
