Formula 1 Rumor: Cadillac to enter F1 without Michael Andretti

General Motors, via its Cadillac brand, is still keen to enter Formula 1 now that Michael Andretti is no longer an owner of Andretti Global.

Now that Michael Andretti and Andretti Global are two separate and distinct entities it may very well facilitate Cadillacs expedited entry into F1 as an OEM and entrant WITH Andretti Global (which is no longer controlled or even influenced by Michael Andretti – he is, at best, a spectator) under the leadership, guidance, and support of Dan Towriss.

In recent days, the motor racing world was shocked by the news that Michael Andretti is stepping back from his own racing empire, Andretti Global.

Despite the FIA’s approval, Liberty Media-owned F1 rejected Andretti’s bid to expand its empire into Formula 1, despite backing from GM and Cadillac.

The rejection prompted a US political investigation into F1’s alleged anti-competitive behavior – which has been linked with Michael Andretti stepping back at Andretti Global.

Rumors have also been swirling that Cadillac is still keen to enter F1 with its own engine from 2028.

France’s Auto Hebdo says General Motors’ executive director of motorsports, Eric Warren, declared last month: “We will continue to follow the process in Formula 1.

“We’ve been working on it for two years. It’s a process. We’re intensively developing a power unit. We’re intensively developing the car.

“We had positive meetings last week. We are not giving up,” he insisted. “We are committed to being involved and, one way or another, we will be there.”

Reports suggest Andretti’s basic F1 car design will be ready by the end of the year.

—

The Andretti Global team is said to have benefitted from Toyota’s expertise in extensive aerodynamic testing, having gained exclusive access to the Japanese manufacturer’s wind tunnel in Cologne after McLaren vacated to their own new wind tunnel. A Speedcafe report states that Andretti’s chassis is designed to meet FIA’s frontal impact test standards and will undergo crash and load testing as part of its development.

Andretti Global F1 model in the Toyota Cologne Wind Tunnel. Photo courtesy of Andretti Global — Andretti Global F1 model in the Toyota Cologne Wind Tunnel. Andretti Global is on target to have a completed 2026-spec F1 chassis before Christmas. Photo courtesy of Andretti Global

The team is also headed for a major recruitment push, aiming to bolster its F1 workforce by 25%, bringing the current team of nearly 250 members to a higher capacity before the year’s end.

Ironically, Andretti is arguably in a beneficial position by not having a 2026 entry as yet.

While rivals are hamstrung by the regulations on what they are able to begin work on, not to mention limited by cost cap, there are no such limitations for Andretti.

It is making the most of that position, with sources revealing to Speedcafe that it is running multiple shifts in the wind tunnel – which it has exclusive use of.

That is supported by a small army of model makers creating parts for the tunnel, including leveraging experience both from Toyota in Cologne on top of in-house staff and other third parties.

October 6, 2024

When Formula 1 rejected Andretti Global’s application to enter F1 they made it crystal clear that they wanted Cadillac, but not Michael Andretti.

It appeared personal at the time.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Formula 1 commercial rights’ holder, Liberty Media, even went so far as suggesting that Cadillac team up with the Williams F1 Team instead of Andretti.

Something does not add up

We don’t buy that Michael Andretti has decided he wants to do other things in his life now that he is 62.

Everything he’s done in the last several years has been long term, not something you would walk away from.

The new HQ, is being built on a grand scale with the plan to enter Formula 1. You don’t just walk away from that all of a sudden.

The Silverstone acquisition earlier this year, was done to set up a base in England to service the F1 and Formula E teams.

Attempting to join F1 is not a short-term project. In July, Andretti purchased a $20M Dassault Falcon 900EX Easy that is capable of reaching London from Indy non-stop. He kept his Falcon 2000.

He had to have been pretty committed to a longer term to do the above. And now he’s ready to step aside and smell the roses?

It is apparent Andretti fell on his sword to salvage an F1 entry

Group 1002 CEO Dan Towriss’ funding served as the backbone of Andretti Global’s entry into F1 as a team when the FIA opened applications for an 11th racing outfit to join the grid

One can safely assume Michael was asked to step aside by both Dan Towriss and Cadillac due to Liberty Media’s disdain of him (for reasons we do not totally understand, other than he went public and tried to force his way into F1 instead of doing it behind the scenes).

Speculation now suggests Cadillac will buy Andretti’s share of the team to help gain approval by Formula One Management to enter as the 11th team.

Often, Manufacturers own F1 teams – think Mercedes, Ferrari, Sauber/Audi, McLaren and Alpine/Renault. To have Cadillac own a portion of the Andretti team with Dan Towriss as the majority owner will go a long way toward Liberty Media giving the team the green light to enter F1.

Keeping the Andretti name on the team would be for sponsorship reasons, even if Michael has zero ownership. Speculation is that Towriss and Cadillac were told, push Michael out of an ownership position and come into F1 together – we want you, just not him.

Cadillac is still committed to supplying engines to the team starting in 2028, and we assume if entry is approved, the team will be called Andretti-Cadillac.

On the news that he is ceding control of the team he built from scratch, Michael Andretti said, “I’ll be involved as an advisor as well as an ambassador,” which means he can still attend the F1 races and give recommendations, but he won’t be attending any F1 team owner meetings with Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei at the head of the table.

Mario Andretti met with the US Congress on Capital Hill

A side note to this rumor is what will be the outcome of the US Congress anticompetitive practice investigation in denying Andretti entry into F1. Will it be withdrawn now that Andretti has stepped aside and if the team (with Cadillac) then gets F1 approval, or will it go forward and unearth some dirty behind the scenes maneuvers that will break up Liberty Media?