Rumor: Cadillac has decided to produce an F1 engine (3rd Update)

–by Mark Cipolloni–

FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem has added more fuel to the fire that Cadillac will be building an F1 engine.

“Imagine having F1 more OEMs and more PU manufacturers, nobody can control and say: ‘Ok we’re raising the price’ or: ‘Oh, you have to vote this way’ [in regulation changes].

“I am optimistic about GM coming in with a power unit. I am very optimistic,” said Ben Sulayem.

“In the last 20 months to have two major OEMs which are Audi and Andretti/GM, and to have a power unit from Audi.

“We are on the right track of having a power unit from Cadillac, I think that is an achievement.”

–by Mark Cipolloni–

This rumor is upgraded to ‘strong’ today.

FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem said in an interview Monday that “We are demanding that GM/Cadillac build its own power unit. But engines are not built in four or five years.”

So Andretti will have to agree on an engine supply from others until the Cadillac Power Unit is ready.

We will refrain from making this rumor ‘fact’ until we get an official announcement from GM/Cadillac.

Andretti-Cadillac is now free to produce their own engine, or perhaps do a deal with Honda, rather than use Renault’s inferior engine.

(GMM) Andretti-Cadillac’s Formula 1 technical deal with Renault and Alpine has officially expired.

That is the news from the French team’s interim boss Bruno Famin, after the FIA green-lighted Andretti’s bid to enter the sport – triggering commercial talks with Liberty Media.

But if F1 now also gives Andretti the green light, the American concern will need to negotiate a new engine deal with Renault.

“We have indeed had discussions with Andretti,” Famin told Canal Plus. “We had already made a deal with them – a preliminary contract for the delivery of engines.”

“But that contract expired on March 31 this year. It was completely dependent on whether they could get entry into Formula 1, and they didn’t get that at the time.”

However, Famin says he is still open to a deal.

“We are currently not affiliated with Andretti in any way,” he clarified. “But once they have that infamous approval, we can start talking to them about the engine again.”

Back in January, I penned this article titled “Cadillac Whispers from Brixworth” whereby I laid out why it made sense for Cadillac to do their own F1 engine with Cosworth.

–By Mark Cipolloni–

Now publication Auto Motor Sport (AMuS) reports that

GM is currently making budget provisions for the construction of a Formula 1 engine.

Even though Andretti first has to stock up on chassis know-how and engines from Alpine to begin, GM is serious about its Cadillac campaign.

In the future, only one car will compete in the WEC in order to divert money for the Formula 1 project.

In addition, the Americans have already recruited personnel known to Formula 1 for the management positions in the powertrain department.

If this is true, and Cadillac is going to commit to being an F1 OEM engine supplier starting in 2027 (already too late for 2026) then there is zero chance F1/FOM/Liberty Media can reject the Andretti-Cadillac entry.

Cadillac becoming an engine manufacturer in F1 (we still assume they will do it with Cosworth’s help) brings real value to F1; hence there will be no grounds to reject the Andretti-Cadillac entry without a huge lawsuit and a substantial fine from the EU.

Related Article: Andretti has them by the balls, they just don’t know it yet.

Another piece of this pie is the recent report from Joe Saward rumors in the paddock at Marina Bay (Singapore GP) were saying that Andretti no longer has a valid Renault engine deal.

If true, that would be great news for Andretti because the Renault engines are the worst on the F1 grid.

Saward reports that he has not heard of any deal being terminated, but one might have lapsed and has not been renewed. Renault has had a clean out of staff and Andretti may no longer fit.