Loophole for Cadillac: Will they have a competitive advantage before 2026?
F1 News
- Ludo van Denderen
Although the 2025 Formula 1 season has yet to begin, teams are already looking ahead to 2026. That year will bring a major overhaul of the regulations, requiring significant adaptation for all the teams. Starting from January 1 of this year, teams have been allowed to start work on their 2026 challengers. Still, there might be one team that got a head start, having started initial designs as early as 2024, potentially giving them a competitive edge.
If all goes according to plan, Cadillac will join Formula 1 as the 11th team in 2026. Behind the scenes, the American brand has been quietly designing and developing an F1 car for some time, even before the official announcement of its expected entry into the sport. This proactive approach could give Cadillac an edge over its rivals, who were unable to make similar preparations during that period.
F1 team bosses don't believe Cadillac will have a lead
James Vowles, Williams' team boss, thinks that come 2026, their supposed early advantage won't make much difference. "They should not, and I don't believe they do," Vowles began. "A) because they're (regulations, ed.) not finished and need to be ratified. Following that, if they are due to enter into 2026, they should fall under FIA ATR and also cost cap regulations in 2025. So is there a head start? It's potential this year (2024), for example, when they're completely outside of any caps. But I think it's controlled fairly well under some FIA regulations. It's for the FIA to regulate next year."
'It's a huge challenge'
Aston Martin colleague Mike Krack also believes that Cadillac won't have an advantage. Whereas other teams are already established, Cadillac has the huge job of setting up a Formula 1 team in the first place. "I think it's a monumental task to try now setting up a team for 2026 with also a completely different set of regulations," Krack explained. "So even if there was a small head start, I think it will balance out very quickly."
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