“400 days until the car runs”

A month and a half after the announcement of its arrival in Formula 1, planned for 2026, the future Cadillac team is not slowing down. The American structure, finally accepted after taking over the Andretti project – whose involvement remains without expressly mentioning the name – cannot afford it. This was recalled by Pat Symonds, recruited last May and at the helm since January 1 as executive engineering consultant, based at the Silverstone premises.

“I officially begin my new role at Cadillac, as we build our team to compete in the Formula 1 World Championship in 2026”confirmed the Briton, who left his position as technical director of F1 last year after having worked in particular on… the future 2026 regulations.

“It’s an exciting challenge because if the winter tests follow the same organization as in 2014 [dernière fois où l’unité de puissance a changé]so we have less than 400 days left before the car runs.”

At 71 years old, the man who has known almost everything in the various Formula 1 teams where he has worked measures the scale of the task while emphasizing the means that General Motors agrees to deploy to achieve it. The American manufacturer, which will use Ferrari power units during the first two seasons, has notably committed to designing and developing its own engine by 2027.

“General Motors has a long history in motorsport, and I remember as a kid seeing the Chaparral 2F win the Brands Hatch 1000K [1967]”underlines Pat Symonds. “Jim Hall, the man behind Chaparral, has always recognized GM's contribution to this program. More recently, through its Chevrolet and Cadillac brands, GM has been competitive in endurance in addition to being an engine supplier in IndyCar . From Le Mans to Talladega, from endurance to stock car, they know how to win.”

“At the same time, with an F1 that remains the pinnacle of motorsport, they fully respect the demands of innovation and excellence required as well as what will be necessary to build a team capable of replicating the success they have enjoyed in other championships.”

We are striving to make this the best team to work for in F1.

The Cadillac team will be led on the circuits by Graeme Lowdon and has already recruited several experienced profiles in recent months, including Nick Chester as technical director, Rob White as operations director, and Jon Tomlinson for its aero department.

“Building a Formula 1 single-seater is a daunting but already well-documented task”reassures Pat Symonds. “The deadlines and milestones are well established and the team already has a large number of experienced people who have been designing and developing the car for some time. Alongside them, others have put the processes in place necessary to ensure we can meet the tight deadlines and unyielding quality that Formula 1 demands.”

“At the same time, we are putting in place the infrastructure at our Silverstone base to support this project. Starting from scratch, as the saying goes, offers many more opportunities than challenges. The team will not only be built around the highest engineering standards but also environmental, social and governance investment standards [ESG]as we strive to make this the best team to work for in Formula 1.”

Among the other burning issues, Cadillac will also have to resolve that of the drivers, while the two future seats are currently free.