Cadillac joins F1 World Championship for 2026 season
- Cadillac will return to F1 in 2026
- This’ll mark the automaker’s return to Formula 1 after 70-odd years
- It will use Ferrari engine at first, and then manufacture its own
Published on Mar 10, 2025 at 1:37 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Mar 10, 2025 at 6:22 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
Cadillac is ready for its long-awaited return to Formula 1 in 2026.
The American automaker, operating under General Motors, will finally be back to the pinnacle of motorsport after about 70 years.
It’s a marketing move, but also a strategic one.
This is because Cadillac wants to manufacture F1 engines as well, not just ‘borrow’ them.
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Cadillac will use Ferrari engines (at first)
We could write a book talking about Cadillac’s history in motorsport, but it wouldn’t be a very long one.
More to the point, the chapter about Formula 1 would only cover about two pages.
The American automaker competed in Formula 1 in the past, but only twice, racing in two GPs in the 1950s.
But now the American manufacturer, a brand most people generally associate with luxury and not performance, wants to be taken seriously.
In 2026, Cadillac will return to F1 and, at first, the team’s cars will be powered by Ferrari powertrains.
However, the company also stated the intention to start using its own engines by 2030.
The next few years in Formula 1: 2026 and beyond
These days, a lot of people argue that F1 Championships are won by engineers, not drivers.
The translation? Even the best driver in the world can’t win unless he’s got the best car on the grid.
With that in mind, we should probably keep an eye on Aston Martin.
The Formula 1 team recently hired Adrian Newey, who is by far the most successful F1 car designer ever.
With him at the helm, Red Bull won 13 titles.
The 66-year-old engineer left Red Bull in Summer and took the time to design the spectacular RB17, below, hypercar before joining Aston Martin.
Having said that, there’s no getting away from the fact that all eyes will be on Ferrari.
There’s immense pressure on Ferrari every year, partly because they’re the biggest name in F1, partly because they haven’t won anything in nearly two decades, and now because of Lewis Hamilton.
Lewis Hamilton left Mercedes to join Ferrari and so far we’ve seen a lot of icing but no cake yet.
For him, the mind-blowing salary and the record-breaking picture he shared to Instagram are the icing, but none of that will matter unless he also delivers the cake.
And, at Ferrari, the only acceptable cake is a win.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
