General Motors sets up new engine company

As General Motors prepares for its potential entry into Formula 1, US car company General Motors has established a new engine company.

In order to begin in Formula One in 2026, GM has a written contract with US company TWG Global to form a new team named after its luxurious Cadillac brand.

The team’s engine will eventually be used by GM, according to GM, which will be built by a specialized engine-building firm called GM Performance Power Units.

By the end of the decade, Cadillac would “put it on the path to becoming a “full works” team that would build F1 cars and power units,” according to a statement released.

The GM F1 engine’s debut year was not specified in the specification.

Cadillac will use Ferrari customer engines until its own engine is operational when it debuts next year.

In Charlotte, North Carolina, GM stated that the company had already begun testing its prototype F1 engine technology and that it would open a dedicated facility there in 2026 for the F1 engine program.

Russ O’Blenes, the head of GM’s motorsports performance and propulsion division, will serve as the new company’s chief executive.

Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Russ to this pivotal role. His knowledge and leadership will be key in helping us form the foundation for Cadillac’s F1 journey.

Russ led our hybrid Imsa Cadillac and Corvette C8 while bringing vast experience from numerous championship racing series, according to GM president Mark Reuss. R engines that are proven winners.

Russ is the right person to lead the power-unit team that will make it happen because we’re going to demonstrate GM’s engineering and technology abilities on a global stage in F1.

Due to the new engine regulations that were put in place in 2026, Cadillac/GM joins its US market rival Ford and German automaker Audi as one of three major car manufacturers who have entered F1.

Audi has established its own factory team following the purchase of Swiss-based Sauber, while Ford and Red Bull are teaming up.

They will join F1’s existing engine manufacturers Mercedes, Ferrari and Honda.

Renault, which owns the Alpine team, is ending its F1 engine programme after this year, with the team switching to Mercedes customer engines.