Despite Cadillac joining the grid for 2026, Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has warned against the idea of bringing a 12th team into the fold.
After an arduous process of applying to become the 11th F1 Team, Cadillac were finally approved to join the series in 2026.
With support from General Motors, the team will not only occupy space as a team, but also as a powertrain manufacturer starting in 2029.
While the regulations allowed for 12 teams on the grid, not every track is built to accommodate them.
Paddock and pitlane space is often restrictive in certain tracks, such as street circuits like Monaco, causing the need for alterations.
“We have to be cautious,” the Italian warned. “We’ll only evaluate a bid of great significance because I think we’re already at a point with no more room – logistically we’re at the limit.”
While F1 has previously had 22 cars on the grid back in 2016, going further back to 2010, 24 cars were lining up for action.
However, it’s not something that Domenicali is rushing to reintroduce, his focus being on the quality of teams joining, rather than quantity.
“I see great interest from funds and investors looking to buy current franchises – let’s call them that – because a team’s value is growing exponentially.
“Therefore, financial interest in investing in F1 is also increasing.
“We see it first-hand because we receive many enquiries, and the same happens to the teams. But precisely because things are going well.
“We must be prudent and protect the value of what we’ve built.”
Domenicali explains why Andretti’s F1 bid was rejected before
This was seen in practice when Domenicali rejected Andretti’s bid to join F1.
Despite being approved by the FIA in October 2023, F1 ultimately denied their entry, citing that they didn’t believe Andretti would be competitive or bring enough value to the sport.
“We’ve always said it was fundamental for us [Liberty Media] to have a quality project on the table to evaluate in the medium and long term,” Domenicali said of Andretti’s bid.
“When we received the Andretti project, our view was negative – not because Andretti wasn’t good. Mario is a legend, an icon of this sport, and a friend.
“We simply didn’t see the substance behind the project that we consider necessary.
For Domenicali, the significant change came with the support of General Motors. Their involvement marked an important support that made the bid more substantial.
“Things changed when General Motors came in. We saw significant investment with a 10-year plan and immediately spoke favourably because we believe that, in this case, the project can bring added value to the system.
“We’re already seeing it now – they’re investing in the US market to promote their new initiative. So that guarantees a benefit.”
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