Andretti Cadillac, F1 engine installed in Renault confirmed?[F1-Gate.com]

If Andretti Cadillac gets an F1 entry, it will likely start with Renault’s F1 powerplant. The team is not aiming for 2026 when the new F1 engine regulations will be introduced.

Andretti Global and General Motors announced on Thursday that they have entered into a partnership to compete in Formula 1, and if the entry is successful, they will race under the Cadillac brand as Andretti Cadillac.

In a press release announcing the announcement, Andretti-Cadillac described themselves as an “all-American team,” but the actual racing engine is likely to be made in France.

That’s because Cadillac’s parent company, General Motors, currently has no plans to build its own F1 engine. Team principal Michael Andretti therefore needs to find a company capable of supplying the power unit and engine which will be branded “Cadillac”.

General Motors chairman Mark Reuss has revealed that he has already reached an agreement with existing F1 engine makers to use F1 powerplants.

“We signed a deal with a power unit supplier early on, and as we go forward we also bring a lot of experience to create something for the future,” said Mark Reuss, while Michael Andretti said: “I think it will be a collaboration with other manufacturers,” he added.

General Motors spokesman Michael Albano later suggested that the Andretti-Cadillac F1 engine was likely manufactured by Renault. “It will probably happen. They are working on a deal.”

Some reports have speculated that Honda, which registered as a manufacturer as a supplier of F1 engines in 2026 and has partnered with General Motors in the electric vehicle sector, will supply the F1 powertrain.

But Andretti wants to get into F1 as soon as possible. Indeed, when he has announced his intention to participate in F1 in the past, he has said that he would aim for 2024, and it seems that his intention has not changed. He also revealed that he has a contract with Renault.

“We don’t yet know exactly when” Andretti Cadillac will start racing, said Michael Andretti. Hopefully, I’ll be on track soon.”

So waiting until 2026 when the new F1 engine regulations for Andretti-Cadillac come into effect is not an option. You need an F1 power unit to race, not start development. Andretti is already proceeding with development in view of entry into F1.

It’s no secret that most F1 teams are not enthusiastic about Andretti Cadillac. More teams on the F1 grid means the well-stocked prize pool needs to be spread across more teams. (Most) F1 team owners in the paddock don’t like to hand over and hand over money to rookies who still have a lot to prove. The most explicit opponent of Andretti’s arrival is Toto Wolff, team principal of Mercedes F1.

Supplying Andretti Cadillac with F1 engines is by no means a viable option given Mercedes’ already large number of customers. Along with Aston Martin, McLaren and Williams, the team already has three customer teams buying Mercedes power units. Adding a fourth team is probably a bit of an overkill.

Same thing with Ferrari. Ferrari has a powerful powertrain, but still has a lot to work with when it comes to reliability. Lately, and no doubt in the future, Ferrari needs as many people as possible to consolidate its power unit. In the meantime, in addition to the factory team, it has to supply engines to two other teams, Alfa Romeo and Haas. Adding a new F1 team would be impractical for Ferrari in its current state. (Apart from 2026 onwards, when Sauber will switch to Audi F1 engines).

Red Bull, officially Red Bull Powertrains, is actually powered by Honda’s F1 engine. In addition, the team is busy building its engine division from scratch. Time and space are unlikely to be there to help Andretti.

This leaves Renault as the only serious option for Andretti-Cadillac. Renault F1 engines have made great strides in terms of speed and reliability, but other teams have been reluctant to buy Renault engines in recent years. The Alpine F1 Team is therefore the only F1 team to build Renault F1 power units. Getting a customer team provides at least some financial support.

And frankly, Renault doesn’t have many options after all. If Andretti-Cadillac were indeed licensed by the FIA ​​and FOM and there was no engine supplier at the time, the manufacturer with the fewest customer teams would be obliged to supply the powerplant. It will be a Renault.

After 2026, American automakers may have two engine names. Red Bull Powertrains is open to naming its F1 engine after the car marque in 2026 if the engine is indeed built in-house and the relationship with Honda ends. It was a story that was being developed in cooperation with Porsche, after which Ford is said to have played a role.

Category: F1 / Andretti / Renault