The FIA and Formula 1 confirmed Friday that Cadillac’s entry into the sport has been approved for 2026, officially paving the way for the American company to field a team. The F1 grid will now rise to 11 race teams next season, marking the first time in a decade that the grid has been expanded.

The official approval of Cadillac’s entry comes one year after an agreement was reached to allow the manufacturer to join the grid with a Ferrari engine supply, which they will proceed to do in the short term. However, parent company General Motors has committed to building its own engines by the end of the decade, with plans in place for an engine facility in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. In addition to Charlotte, the team will also have bases in Fishers, Indiana, Warren, Michigan, and Silverstone, England.

The approval marks a reversal from F1’s original stance on Cadillac’s entry, which had initially been opposed while being led by former F1 driver Michael Andretti. Cadillac’s entry is now spearheaded by TWG Motorsports, the racing arm of TWG Global whose properties include Andretti Global, Spire Motorsports in NASCAR, Wayne Taylor Racing’s GTP program in IMSA, and Walkinshaw Andretti United in V8 Supercars.

“As we said in November, the commitment by General Motors to bring a Cadillac team to Formula 1 was an important and positive demonstration of the evolution of our sport,” said Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1. “I want to thank GM and TWG Motorsports for their constructive engagement over many months and look forward to welcoming the team on the grid from 2026 for what will be another exciting year for Formula 1.”

“Today marks a transformative moment, and I am proud to lead the Federation in this progressive step for the championship,” stated FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “The FIA Formula One Championship’s expansion to an 11th team in 2026 is a milestone. GM/Cadillac brings fresh energy, aligning with the new FIA 2026 regulations and ushering in an exciting era for the sport.”

The Cadillac team will join Haas F1 Team as the second American-owned team in Formula 1 and presents the possibility of bringing an American driver to the F1 grid. Speculation surrounding an American driver for the team has focused on IndyCar star Colton Herta, who could earn a super license to compete in F1 should he finish fourth or better in this year’s IndyCar championship standings.

Last week, Herta expressed ambivalence about moving to F1, stating he had grown weary of questions about his potential switch to the premier racing series. Other candidates for the team could include F1 drivers currently without a ride for 2025 such as Sergio Perez, Valtteri Bottas, and Zhou Guanyu.