Detroit Rivalry Goes Global In Formula 1—Ford Said This, GM Said That

Ford and GM are preparing to wage a new battle in a war that stretches back decades—this time, the battleground is Formula 1’s global stage.

With both American manufacturers set to enter the series under very different structures, disagreements over who is truly “all in” have surfaced ahead of the 2026 season.

Ford’s return to F1 comes from its powertrain partnership with Red Bull Racing. The Blue Oval last appeared in F1 in 2004 under the Jaguar banner, somewhat fittingly, Ford actually sold the Jaguar team to Red Bull in late 2004 for just $1.

Ford initially signed on to support Red Bull Powertrains with battery and electric-motor expertise as the regulations shift toward an even split between combustion and electrical output. Since the original partnership was announced in 2023, Ford’s involvement has grown to include work on the V6 internal combustion engine and the manufacturing of some parts in the United States.

Cadillac, meanwhile, is taking a very different route. Backed by General Motors, the brand will enter Formula 1 as a new, 11th team, building an operation from the ground up with facilities in the UK and the U.S., including a new headquarters in Indiana.

Cadillac will run Ferrari customer engines initially while developing its own power unit for a planned debut in 2029. That has not stopped Cadillac executives from running their mouths, trying to position their effort as a more authentic manufacturer entry than Ford’s Red Bull alliance.

For some reason, Cadillac F1 CEO Dan Towriss decided to call Ford’s role largely promotional, slapping it down as "a marketing deal with very minimal impact, while GM is an equity owner. They’re deeply embedded from an engineering standpoint, and they were involved from day one. Those two deals couldn’t be more different.”

The chirp did not sit well in Dearborn. Ford executive chairman Bill Ford clapped back, calling the characterization “patently absurd,” and pointing out that Cadillac won't even use its own engine for several years, while Ford engineers are actively involved in the Red Bull power unit.

“I would say, actually, the reverse is true,” Ford said to The Athletic. “They’re running a Ferrari engine. They’re not running a Cadillac engine. I don’t know if they have any GM employees on the race team. If anything looks like a marketing effort, that does.”

Ford formally launched its 2026 partnership with Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls at a season launch event in Detroit last night, while Cadillac plans to reveal its full race livery during a Super Bowl halftime advertisement in February.

OUR TAKE: Both brands need to keep their mouths shut until either actually proves something in Formula 1. For all of Ford's big talk about being America's race team, it has only ever really achieved a couple of race victories by itself. Ford-badged engines have won 176 Grands Prix, ranking third in Formula One history, but pretty much all of that success has to be handed to Cosworth, which did all of the development work. Ford outright purchased the racing engine division of Cosworth in 1998 and then proceeded to win just twice—once in 1999 with Stewart Racing, and a second time in 2003, powering one of Eddie Jordan's cars—before divesting itself of the endeavour, selling Jaguar racing to Red Bull and its interest in Cosworth to the owners of Champ Car.

Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.