In recent days, discussions about the entry of an 11th team into Formula 1 have started again. Reuters has reported that General Motors (GM) is moving one step closer to entering Formula 1 as the 11th team for the 2026 season, by relaunching its partnership with Andretti Autosport.
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What has changed since the refusal of F1?
This news follows Andretti's application being rejected by Liberty Media last January, mainly due to concerns about the team's competitiveness and added value. However, recent developments, including the possibility of GM supplying an engine from 2028, have led to a re-evaluation of the proposal.
Michael Andretti, former F1 driver and 1991 CART champion, announced in September his withdrawal from the day-to-day operations of Andretti Global, handing over management to its chief commercial officer Dan Towriss. The latter is present in the paddock of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, reinforcing the team's commitment to the project. Andretti has also built the first parts of a Formula 1 team by recruiting massively in new premises in F1 Valley, in England.
At the same time, Liberty Media, owner of F1, is going through a period of transition with the departure of its long-time CEO, Greg Maffei, expected at the end of the year but above all, the affair of the refusal of entry of Andretti in F1 had been taken to court, while the FIA had given its support and the green light. The reasons were therefore not technical but rather arbitrary and F1 really has no right to refuse a new entry in the regulations if the FIA gives it the green light.
Less closed teams
F1 teams also seem more open to the idea of a new team, provided it brings added value to the championship. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said: “I think if a team can add to the championship, especially if GM decides to come in as a team owner, that's a different story. » He added that as long as it contributes to the growth of popularity and revenue of the sport, no team will oppose it. However, he stressed that the final decision is not up to the teams, but to F1's governing bodies.
Currently, the entry fee for a new team is set at $200 million, a sum considered insufficient by some teams given the current valuation of the teams, some exceeding $1 billion. This issue could be re-examined, particularly with the introduction of new engine regulations in 2026 and the renegotiation of the “Concorde” commercial agreement. If GM's entry is confirmed, the team could use engines from another manufacturer until 2028, before switching to Cadillac engines. F1 had indeed expressed doubts about the involvement of a team without a solid engine manufacturer.
Andretti already has a base at Silverstone, employing several people, including Pat Symonds, former F1 technical director, as an engineering consultant. Toto Wolff also mentioned: “I know GM. GM is great. » Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur added: “If it's good for the sport, good for the show, good for business and adds value on a sporting level, we're all in on it. »
An entry announced in the coming weeks
Zak Brown has kept the suspense high in recent hours, telling Sky Sport on TV that his Indycar team was receiving a few quips on the subject and that the Cadillac guys are smiling.
“General Motors has a great history in motorsport”Brown told the British media. “I think it’s great, more competition. Something that will excite the fans. They like the new Grand Prix, the new engines, the new racing teams, the new racing drivers, so I think it will be exciting. »
He said an announcement could come soon on the subject. “I think an announcement is probably imminent and it will be exciting to have another manufacturer alongside Audi joining our sport. »
“I know more or less what I hear from word of mouth. We haven't been told anything officially, but we are partnering with GM for our IndyCar team, so I saw them here and they seem to have a big smile on their face.
The entry of this new team could therefore be approved as soon as the new regulations are put in place, in 2026, with the supply of a Honda engine initially, then in-house (GM) secondly.
It should be remembered that the American market, North and South, is increasingly buoyant for Formula 1. American manufacturers are therefore getting more involved, as is the case with Ford, which signed a technical partnership with Red Bull. and therefore Andretti who wanted to partner with General Motors.
