With just 250 days until Formula 1's season opener in Australia, the Cadillac F1 team is racing against time to complete one of motorsport's most ambitious expansion projects. The American squad, backed by General Motors and set to become the sport's 11th team in 2026, now operates like a "fully-fledged Formula 1 team" from its temporary base at Silverstone, according to Autoweek.
The countdown clocks adorning Cadillac's walls underscore the urgency facing team principal Graeme Lowdon and his 400-person workforce, who must deliver a race-ready car by January 26 for preseason testing in Barcelona.
Cadillac's operation spans six buildings at Silverstone while construction proceeds on a massive facility in Fishers, Indiana, near Indianapolis, scheduled to open in early 20261. The dual-continent approach reflects the team's identity as an American entry with European racing expertise.
"We don't just want to turn up and race, we want to be as competitive as we possibly can be," Lowdon told Formula1.com2. The team has already conducted wind tunnel testing using a 2026 car design and accumulated more than five petabytes of computational fluid dynamics data3.
Technical director Nick Chester and executive engineering consultant Pat Symonds, both veterans of successful F1 programs, lead the design effort3. Cadillac has completed prototype monocoque testing and passed FIA crash tests, though official certification remains pending3.
The team continues evaluating candidates for its two race seats, with discussions ongoing among experienced drivers including former Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas, and surprisingly, current Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda12. "We're advancing discussions with a number of drivers," Lowdon told Sky Sports1.
Cadillac will initially use Ferrari power units and gearboxes before transitioning to GM-developed engines by 20303. The team has established GM Performance Power Units LLC to oversee the transition to full works status3.
The project overcame a tortuous 764-day approval process that included initial rejection, the exit of original champion Michael Andretti, and complex negotiations between Formula 1 and the FIA4. TWG Motorsports, controlled by Dan Towriss and Mark Walter, partnered with GM to secure final approval in March4.
"Everyone's well aware the clock is ticking," Lowdon told Motorsport.com, emphasizing the non-negotiable nature of racing deadlines5. The team has already conducted simulated race weekends to prepare operations, including a full Barcelona Grand Prix simulation involving 50 staff members across US and UK facilities6.
