Dan Towriss says Cadillac ready to earn its place as Formula 1’s 11th team ahead of Melbourne debut

Just 366 days after receiving final approval to enter the championship, Cadillac lines up at Albert Park Circuit as the newest entrant to the Formula 1 World Championship. The sport's 168th constructor since 1950.

Chief Executive Officer Dan Towriss underlined the scale of the achievement: “This weekend is a historic moment for the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. This car represents thousands of hours of relentless work across the U.S. and Europe and the commitment of hundreds of people who believe we can build something worthy of this stage.

"Seeing the Cadillac Formula 1 Team line up for its first Grand Prix is a proud moment for all of us. In Formula 1, nothing is given. Everything is earned. This weekend is just the beginning," declared Towriss.

The American entry has been built from the ground up in partnership with TWG Motorsports and General Motors, employing more than 550 staff across Indianapolis, Charlotte and Silverstone.

General Motors President Mark Reuss framed the Melbourne debut as a strategic milestone for the brand: “The historic debut of the Cadillac Formula 1 team in Australia is the realisation of a vision that has driven so many of us at General Motors, and a moment of tremendous pride for everyone who has worked tirelessly to make it happen.

"To bring Cadillac back to the tier one set of global luxury brands, F1 is a vital part of the equation. Helping bring this program to life has been incredibly rewarding for me and for the whole team," Reus added.

On-track preparation has been extensive. The team completed successful shakedowns at Silverstone and the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya, followed by two official pre-season tests in Bahrain, accumulating more than 4,200 km of mileage, equivalent to over 12 race distances.

Team Principal Graeme Lowdon emphasised both ambition and realism: “The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s debut marks one of the proudest moments of my career. It has been a huge task to get to this point, and I am endlessly grateful to everyone involved. But the Australian Grand Prix is only the beginning of the journey, and our focus is on building long-term success.

"I am happy with our progress in Barcelona and Bahrain, and we are already bringing the first upgrades to our car this weekend. We have bold ambitions, but we are realistic, committed, and respectful of the challenge ahead," Lowdon concluded.

Cadillac enters the championship with proven experience in the cockpit. Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Pérez bring a combined 526 Formula 1 starts, 106 podium finishes and 16 victories to the project.

Pérez said: “It is an honour to be in Australia this weekend, making history with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team. Being a part of this amazing brand-new team has been a highlight of my career so far. The atmosphere in the team is positive and we are making progress together. We should be proud of what we have achieved so far. I can’t wait to get out on track.”

Bottas said: “This year’s Australian Grand Prix feels like no other. I always love coming to Melbourne, but this time, arriving to make history with the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, it is even more special. The local support from the Aussies will make this weekend even more unforgettable.

"I am so proud of the team’s hard work throughout our pre-season running and the many, many months that have led up to this weekend. This is only the start of our journey together, but we are already making progress, and I can’t wait to go racing," declared the Finn ahead of his return to the F1 grid.

The journey from Andretti’s rejected Formula 1 bid to the Cadillac project making its debut in Melbourne has been one of the sport’s most politically charged expansion sagas.

In February 2022, Michael Andretti announced plans to enter Formula 1 through Andretti Global, partnering with General Motors under the Cadillac brand for a 2025 or 2026 entry.

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile opened a formal application process in 2023. By October that year, Andretti Cadillac was the only applicant to meet the FIA’s criteria and progressed to commercial negotiations with Formula 1.

In January 2024, F1 rejected the proposal, citing insufficient value addition, competitiveness concerns and potential dilution of prize money despite FIA approval. The decision triggered controversy, including political scrutiny in the United States.

To revive the project, Andretti stepped back in 2024. Control shifted toward GM and TWG Motorsports under Dan Towriss. The bid was restructured as the Cadillac Formula 1 Team, with Ferrari power units initially and future GM engines planned from 2029.

An agreement in principle followed later in 2024. Final approval from the FIA and FOM came on 7 March 2025, confirming Cadillac as Formula 1’s 11th team for 2026.

For Cadillac, Melbourne is not a statement of arrival, but the first lap of a long-term plan. In Towriss’s words, everything in Formula 1 is earned. This weekend, that project becomes reality in Melbourne.