General Motors are now likely to field a Formula 1 team from 2026 onwards. The American giants have made a breakthrough in their discussions with the sport’s stakeholders.
It emerged during Thursday’s running at the Las Vegas Grand Prix that GM had revised their bid. They will now be more involved from the outset.
GM’s subsidiary Cadillac initially partnered with Andretti. While the FIA were happy to admit them into the sport for 2025 or 2026, Formula One Management rejected the proposal amid doubts over their competitiveness.
Now, though, Andretti no longer seem to be as prominent. If all goes to plan, GM will build their own engine for the 2028 season and buy a power unit from a pre-existing supplier for the first two years.
With GM promising greater involvement from the outset, they’ve become more appealing for the 10 teams. Should they be formally admitted, attention will soon turn to their driver line-up.
Had they gone down the route of investing in or buying a current team – Cadillac explored F1 partnerships – they would have inherited a pair of drivers. But now they’ll have to recruit their own duo.
Valtteri Bottas, Kevin Magnussen and Jak Crawford could push for General Motors F1 seats
Valtteri Bottas instantly looks like an ideal candidate. He’s losing his spot on the grid for 2025 after Sauber decided to partner Gabriel Bortoleto with Nico Hulkenberg.
Bottas is expected to rejoin Mercedes as a reserve driver. Staying within F1, rather than pursuing another series, will keep him active in driver market conversations for 2026.
If there are two extra seats available, the Finn’s chances will improve markedly. GM may see him as the experienced leader they need based on his record of 243 race starts, 10 wins and 67 podiums.
Similarly, Kevin Magnussen may be a candidate. He’s also the victim of sweeping changes at Haas, who have snapped up Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon.
But Magnussen has already lost his seat twice before – once at McLaren and once at Haas – and returned without losing any speed. Three years younger than Bottas, he’s taken part in 182 races himself.
There’s also the possibility GM want an American driver in the interests of their brand. Logan Sargeant’s stock is low after he lost his Williams drive mid-season, so Jak Crawford would be a stronger candidate.
Currently on the books of Aston Martin but with little prospect of a seat in Lawrence Stroll’s team, Crawford has shone in the F2 championship this year. He sits in fifth place with two rounds to go – ahead of Mercedes signing Kimi Antonelli – and has taken 10 podiums in the series overall.
What will General Motors’ F1 team be called?
Drivers like Bottas and Magnussen would likely be short-term signings. They may not be able to reap the full benefits of the planned transition to a works GM team at the end of the decade.
It’s unclear how much enthusiasm they would have for laying the foundations for other drivers. But if they want to continue competing at the top level of motorsport, they will surely put their names forward.
GM could drop the Andretti name entirely from their brand. Cadillac-Ferrari or Cadillac-Honda are possible monikers for 2026, depending on their engine supplier.
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