General Motors plans to go racing in Formula 1 in 2026 with its Cadillac luxury brand, something that had been in the works for a while as part of a tie-up with Mario Andretti. What GM sees in F1 is, largely, exposure, as Formula 1 has become more popular than ever globally and in the U.S. especially. Given GM’s limited history in F1 suggested that exposure might be all they are seeking, since even teams with decades of experience in Formula 1 have a hard time being more than also-rans, much less appearing on podiums or contending for championships. But last week GM signalled that it didn’t intend to merely show up. It said that it would build its own F1 cars and power units by 2030, intending to become a “full works” team and not rely on others for major components, like it will do with Ferrari for engines at least initially. GM named Russ O’Blenes, who is currently director..
