Cadillac Clears Major F1 Milestones for 2026 Grid Entry

Cadillac has announced significant progress toward its Formula 1 debut in 2026, successfully passing crucial FIA homologation tests for its chassis, monocoque, and rear-end assembly. This achievement clears major hurdles in the car-building process and keeps the team on track for its first test at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya in January, followed by the season-opening race in Melbourne in March.

Why it matters:

Cadillac's entry into Formula 1 is a major development for the sport, bringing a new manufacturer and a prestigious American brand to the grid. Clearing these stringent FIA tests is a critical step, demonstrating the team's engineering capability and commitment, and ensuring their ambitious timeline for 2026 remains viable. A successful entry could expand F1's global appeal and inject fresh competition.

The details:

• FIA Homologation Tests: Team principal Graeme Lowdon confirmed that Cadillac has successfully passed all 17 FIA homologation tests for the monocoque and four tests for the rear-end assembly.
• Monocoque Tests: These included various push-off, squeeze, and a "pretty onerous" dynamic impact test, requiring the structure to withstand an impact exceeding 52g with 100 kilograms of water and a crash test dummy inside.
• Rear-End Assembly: Cadillac is designing and building its own gearbox case and rear impact structure, despite taking the gearbox cassette from Ferrari. These components also passed all required dynamic impact and push-off tests.
• Nose Tests: Lowdon noted that tests for the nose are separate, independent, and less time-critical, as they can be conducted closer to the deadline. The team is already performing these tests weekly with various designs.
• Workforce and Timeline: With 520 staff members, the team is now able to proceed with the full car build. These cleared milestones eliminate potential disruptions to the overall build process.

What's next:

While major structural components have been approved, the path to the 2026 grid still involves significant work. Cadillac estimates around 85,000 parts need to be designed and manufactured for their car to be race-ready.

• The team is confident in its schedule, having now "pressed the button" to begin proper car assembly since last Tuesday.
• The next critical phase involves the comprehensive manufacturing and integration of these numerous parts, culminating in the first track test in Barcelona in January 2026, ahead of the season opener in Melbourne.