Honda the logical engine partner for Andretti/Cadillac in F1
The president of General Motors, Mark Reuss, specified at the time of the announcement of Cadillac's collaboration in Andretti Global's F1 project, that an agreement has already been reached with a current F1 engine manufacturer. Honda seems to be the best option considering the links between the two manufacturers.
Surprise, it is probably the perfect word to describe the announcement published yesterday by Andretti Global committing to Cadillac to apply for a joint entry in Formula 1.
After the hype has worn off, and with the rather reserved response from the FOM (Formula One Management) in the face of the general enthusiasm, the question arises regarding the engine for this potential 11th team.
Two icons. One pursuit. 💪
Andretti Autosport is thrilled to support the news of Andretti Global and General Motors with @Cadillac, two American powerhouses coming together to pursue the opportunity to compete in the @FIA @F1 World Championship.#CadillacVSeries #AllAndretti
— Andretti Autosport / #AllAndretti (@FollowAndretti) January 5, 2023
If General Motors wanted to develop its own F1 powertrain from 2026, the registration deadline has now passed. This has, among other things, heightened the astonishment of this announcement.
During it, the president of GM, Mark Reuss, specified that an agreement has already been reached with a current Formula 1 engine manufacturer to initially use their power unit.
« We have a signed agreement with a power unit supplier to start », he said. « And as we progress, we are also bringing a lot of our expertise to create things for the future. »
Michael Andretti subsequently added, “It will be more of a collaboration, I believe, with another manufacturer.”
Honda, the most logical option.
After announcing its withdrawal from the premier category in 2021, Honda nevertheless continued a technical engine collaboration with Red Bull Racing. More recently, the Japanese brand revealed that it had registered with the FIA in order to produce a power unit for the 2026 regulations. While also specifying that it was open to allowing other teams to rename its products in the coming years, as the energy drink brand already does.
Furthermore, Cadillac and Honda have maintained good relations in the automotive sector for a long time, and when Mark Reuss is asked about the possibility of a partnership in F1, he responds: “On the EV side, we obviously have a significant partnership with Honda. We are also competing with Honda in series like IndyCar. So we have this respect and natural relationship, which is not at all problematic. We will talk about it later.”
Renault, still connected to Andretti?
The French brand, eager to supply engines to other teams on the grid once again, had begun discussions, through Laurent Rossi (Alpine’s CEO), with Michael Andretti regarding the supply of the hybrid turbo V6 engine in the event of their arrival in Formula 1. It remains to be confirmed whether this option is still open for the French manufacturer.
While waiting to learn more about the official commitment of these two prominent figures in American motorsport, Michael Andretti didn’t waste any time to start recruiting.
“We have made a lot of hires,” he said. “We already have quite a few people working for us. […] We have hired the top engineers. So yes, we are very advanced. We have already hired our technical director, and we will also announce it later.”
