Jan.19 (GMM) Formula 1’s expanding American footprint is already producing sparks, with Ford and Cadillac trading pointed words over who is really doing the hard work behind their respective 2026 projects.
Cadillac, backed by General Motors, will join the grid this year and has already completed an initial shakedown of its 2026 car at Silverstone. The run, carried out in a mainly black test livery, was completed by Sergio Perez.
But even before Cadillac races a Grand Prix, a war of words has broken out across the Atlantic.
Dan Towriss, a leading figure in the Cadillac project, questioned the substance of Ford’s return to Formula 1 through its partnership with Red Bull, suggesting it amounted to little more than “branding”.
Ford’s response was swift – and blunt.
“I would say the opposite is true,” said Bill Ford. “As far as I know, they’re using a Ferrari engine, not a Cadillac engine. I don’t even know if any GM employees are involved in the racing team.
“Is our partnership just a marketing ploy? Nothing could be further from the truth. I was initially stunned by such statements,” he added. “Then I had to laugh.”
Ford CEO Jim Farley was equally dismissive when asked about the comments during a Red Bull-Ford event in Detroit. “It’s ridiculous,” he said. “It doesn’t deserve any comment. Actions speak louder than words.”
Behind the scenes, Ford insists its involvement with Red Bull Racing is deeply technical. Motorsport boss Mark Rushbrook said the company deliberately avoided a simple logo deal.
“We could have spent a lot of money putting our logo on a car,” Rushbrook said. “But we made a conscious decision to create Red Bull Ford Powertrains – as a true technical partnership.”
Ford Racing’s chief engine engineer Christian Hertrich echoed that sentiment. “Sometimes I wish we could just slap a sticker on the cars – then I’d certainly get more sleep,” he said. “But it’s simply not true.
“We manufacture parts. When components go from Michigan to England and end up in a Formula 1 car, it’s hard to call that a marketing exercise.”
However, Red Bull team boss is warning against unrealistic expectations for the Ford-backed engine project’s first season.
“After everything I’ve said about the challenge of starting completely from scratch, it would be naive to think you can immediately keep up,” Mekies said. “Please be patient with us in the first few months.”