Mario Andretti reveals his plans for America's new Formula 1 team

Former Formula 1 world champion Mario Andretti will be a director on the board of the newly approved Cadillac F1 team, which puts a famous American car maker with racing partner Andretti Global on the grid in 2026.

It was a long and agonizing road. Andretti Global’s application was denied in early 2024 by F1’s commercial side. But after investor Dan Towriss took control of the organization from his son, Michael Andretti, and GM stepped up its commitments, the racing team is finally having its moment — albeit under the GM and Cadillac brand.

An elated Mario Andretti spoke to NBC News about achieving his dream and his role in the new team: advising on driver selection and the technical side. He said the team is in discussions with Ferrari to build an engine for the first two years before 2028, when it plans to have a Cadillac power unit. He said the target is to launch with one experienced F1 driver and one “young American talent.”

“Formula 1 is really the Olympics of motorsports, because of the international nature of it,” he said. “And so there’s a lot of national pride that goes with it. And we have three races like no other country on the planet has. And to have your own team playing, just like when you have our own performance in the Olympics — the National Anthem will play when you’re the top step of the podium.”

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