US car giant General Motors have announced ambitious plans to join Formula One in 2026.
The move will see GM use their Cadillac brand to form a partnership with US race team Andretti Autosport, owned by Michael Andretti the son of former F1 racer, Mario Andretti.
Andretti and GM say the Andretti Cadillac team would be based in the US with a support facility in the UK as they start a lengthy application process between F1 and the governing body, the FIA.
Michael Andretti said: “We are well suited to be a new team for Formula One and can bring value to the series and our partners, and excitement for the fans.
“I’m proud to have GM and Cadillac alongside us as we pursue this goal. GM and Andretti share a legacy born out of the love of racing.
“We now have the opportunity to combine our motorsport passions and dedication to innovation to build a true American F1 bid.”
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The Andretti Cadillac bid is not the only interested party in joining the sport, which has seen rapid growth across the world since the pandemic, particularly in the US.
F1’s owners, Liberty Media have been instrumental in adding extra races and this season will see the addition of a third race in the States with the Las Vegas GP joining Austin and Miami on the calendar.
However, it is not a foregone conclusion that the Andretti Cadillac bid will be automatically accepted by F1, the FIA or the current teams.
An F1 statement said: “There is great interest in the F1 project at this time with a number of conversations continuing that are not as visible as others.
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“We all want to ensure the championship remains credible and stable and any new entrant request will be assessed on criteria to meet those objectives by all the relevant stakeholders.
“Any new entrant request requires the agreement of both F1 and the FIA.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
