Ferrari: Cadillac crucial in transition to F1 power unit 2.0

Ferrari is observing General Motors’ entry into Formula 1 through Cadillac’s debut. After receiving approval from the FIA and Liberty Media, the executives of the American automotive giant opted for the transitional use of Ferrari’s new power units while waiting to become fully autonomous in building both their own chassis and second-generation turbo-hybrid units, starting from the 2028 season. Cadillac and its Formula 1 program partner, TWG Motorsports, have announced the creation of GM Performance Power Units.

This group will oversee the development and production of pure power units for any other team that chooses to use American engines. The new company will be led by Russ O’Blenes, who boasts 30 years of experience in motorsports and currently heads General Motors’ “Motorsports Propulsion and Performance” division. His achievements include the development of engines for Cadillac’s hybrid endurance racing cars competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship, as well as the power units for the Corvette C8.R.

The headquarters of “GM Performance Power Units” will be near GM’s Charlotte Technical Center in North Carolina, with a dedicated facility. The operations of the F1 team will be managed by a separate entity, Cadillac Formula Racing, based in the United Kingdom. The team principal will be Graeme Lowdon, former sporting director of Marussia.

For Cadillac’s F1 program, the partnership with Ferrari provides a guarantee both during the two-year transition period and in case of potential delays in the independent development of future turbo-hybrid power units. This serves as a sort of insurance, allowing Cadillac to access the know-how of one of the most ambitious manufacturers in the sport. But what advantage does a time-limited partnership offer for the historic Maranello-based team?

First of all, Cadillac will take over from Sauber, which from 2026 will become the official team for the project of the four-ring brand. This means that even next year, there will still be three Ferrari-powered teams. The benefits will be both technical and political. From a purely technical perspective, having access to a greater amount of data on the brand-new second-generation power unit can only be an advantage. Typically, OEMs, namely Original Equipment Manufacturers, allocate a certain number of resources to follow the on-track activities of customer teams.

Until 2027, the Italian team will receive feedback from two affiliated teams, Haas and Cadillac. The 2.0 turbo-hybrid power units are a major enigma, and having a wealth of data from six cars could be a decisive factor in the development process of the new power units. From 2026, only Mercedes will have a higher number of single-seaters powered by its own engine, thanks to its recent agreement with Alpine, in addition to its existing deals with McLaren and Williams. Politically, a customer team represents a new entity entering the sphere of influence of a manufacturer.

This is a significant factor at a time when power unit regulations are likely to undergo refinements, modifications, and evolutions that could shift the performance balance in favor of one manufacturer over another. It is worth noting that, even now, with essentially a year left before the go-live, there is still much uncertainty regarding the performance of the new engines, particularly concerning the duration of the electric component’s contribution over a lap. Having many allies at decision-making tables, during a period of major uncertainty, could prove to be a valuable trump card.