Cadillac announced its Formula 1 engine plant will debut on December 18.
The FIA cleared General Motors in 2025 to supply power units starting in the 2029 season, prompting a new engine complex at its Charlotte, North Carolina headquarters.
“We’ll unveil the entire engine facility in Charlotte on December 18,” GM president Mark Reuss told reporters at the Autosport Business Exchange in New York. “It’s coming very soon.”
GM now has a few years left to craft its own unit, yet the schedule may clash with FIA chief Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s plan to revert F1 to V8 engines—likely on sustainable fuel with reduced electric boost—by 2031. That could limit GM’s powertrain to just two races, or possibly a single season if the change arrives in 2030. For my money, GM’s timing looks risky.
Meanwhile Cadillac runs customer Ferrari units, and its debut campaign has struggled. It remains the only team without a point in 2026, and the MAC‑26 has been the slowest qualifier at each of the last four events.
“We’re not aiming to finish last, so we must develop the team, the powertrain and the car, just like we did in GTP,” Reuss explained. “It takes extra time because this is uncharted territory for us. We need the right engineers, the right drivers, and a process that grows exponentially, not linearly.”
Seasoned drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas bring priceless insight, even as they log their poorest results ever.
“No one wins every race,” Reuss said. “When a bad day or a mistake occurs, they move on, fine‑tune the car, their fitness, everything, and chase perfection.”
“Both men understand the grind and stay patient with us,” he added. “That kind of composure is rare.”
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– The Team