Formula One’s newest entrant, Cadillac, is bracing for a back-of-the-grid debut in 2026 – but team boss Graeme Lowdon warned that rivals will be “apoplectic” if they’re beaten by the newcomers.
After years of speculation, Cadillac’s long-awaited entry was officially approved in March, giving the American outfit a full season to prepare for its maiden race in Australia.
Backed by General Motors and partnered with TWG Motorsports, Cadillac will run Ferrari power units initially while working toward developing its own engines.
The team will become the first new constructor to join the grid in a decade, with operations spread across four hubs – including one at Silverstone, home to this weekend’s British Grand Prix, and others in Indiana, North Carolina and Michigan.
Despite the heavyweight backing of GM, British team principal Lowdon said expectations should remain realistic.
“We have had discussions with our shareholders about what expectations should be, and the easiest way I can describe it to them is: Can you imagine if you have owned a Formula One team for 10 years and another team rocks up and beats you? You would be apoplectic, so annoyed,” Lowdon said. “So you have to assume that any new team coming in is going to be last. Otherwise, what has gone wrong somewhere else?
“We want to be as competitive as we can, but we have to be realistic, too. We see the numbers, and we are happy with our progress. But we don’t know where we will be – other than if we beat someone, then they are going to be angry.
“There is no real magic to Formula One. It is just very, very difficult. The reason it is so difficult is because everyone is doing the same thing on the same day, and that is something that TWG and GM fully understand. We are partnering with a manufacturer that understands racing. You just tell them the truth.”
Cadillac’s arrival as the 11th team on the grid will open up two driver vacancies. Valtteri Bottas, Lewis Hamilton’s former teammate, is understood to be interested in returning to a full-time seat – he is currently a reserve driver at Mercedes.
Sergio Perez, dropped by Red Bull at the end of last year, and former Formula Two champion Felipe Drugovich have also been linked. Chinese driver Zhou Guanyu, who raced with Alfa Romeo and Sauber across three seasons, is another name in the frame.
“Nothing is decided yet,” Lowdon said. “There is a very strong argument to say that a new team in its first year of racing would benefit hugely from drivers who are experienced.
“We know who is in the market, and we have got a good idea of what we need, but we are some way off reaching that stage of finalizing our lineup.”
