Cadillac F1 honors Mario Andretti with debut challenger

Next week the 2026 Formula 1 season will begin in earnest, with the year-opening Australian Grand Prix.

That race will mark the first official entry of F1’s newest team, Cadillac.

Ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, Cadillac confirmed that their inaugural F1 chassis, for use in the upcoming season, will be designated the MAC-26, short for Mario Andretti Cadillac 26. This honors honoring 1978 F1 Drivers’ Champion Mario Andretti, and “his lasting influence on the team’s formation and competitive ambition.”

“Naming our first chassis MAC-26 reflects the spirit Mario carried into Formula 1 and the belief that an American team belongs on this stage. His story embodies the American dream and inspires how we approach building this team every day,” said Dan Towriss, CEO of Cadillac F1.

“Mario Andretti is a legend of Formula 1. A true racer who knows how to win and push the limits of what is possible. But more than that, he is an incredible man with a gentle heart who believes in everyone’s ability to shape their own path. At the start of my own journey with the team, he asked me not to let him down – I hope that he will be proud to see the Cadillac Formula 1 Team car bearing his name finally take to the grid,” said Cadillac F1 Team Principal Graeme Lowdon.

For his part, Andretti called this the “ultimate compliment.”

”Racing has been the joy of my life. It is the ultimate compliment that the Cadillac Formula 1 Team sees those years as meaningful and worthy of recording with this honor. I cherish the opportunity that it gives me to have a lasting bond with F1 and am genuinely appreciative of everyone who continues to acknowledge my part in racing history,” said Andretti.

The Cadillac F1 team was founded by TWG Motorsports and General Motors. TWG Motorsports is the parent company of Andretti Global.