From an empty factory to a Formula 1 team in less than a year: Pat Symonds talks about the enormous pressure involved in setting up the new Cadillac project.
Pat Symonds, Cadillac’s chief technical advisor, describes the development of the new Formula 1 team as “frightening.” The experienced engineer, who previously worked as technical director in Formula 1 and was instrumental in developing the regulations for 2022 onwards, describes the scale of the project as extraordinary – both in terms of the schedule and the complexity.
Cadillac will officially enter Formula 1 in 2026 after General Motors took over the application initiated by Andretti Global. However, the official starting signal was not given until March 7 this year—just 364 days before the first free practice session in Australia in 2026.
“You can’t build a Formula 1 team in 364 days,” says Symonds. “It was impressive how committed Cadillac was even before the official entry was confirmed. Many started at a stage when it wasn’t even clear whether we would actually get approval.”
From nothing to a team of 400 employees
At the beginning of the year, only around 160 people were working on the project, Symonds reports: “When we got the official confirmation, there were already about 200 – and now there are over 420. The growth was rapid, but also incredibly demanding. Recruiting was one of the biggest challenges.“
Symonds is particularly impressed by the quality of the work that has already been accomplished in such a short time: ”I already knew many of the people from before, and what I found was truly top quality – on par with the best teams in the field.”
Infrastructure as the biggest feat
In addition to developing the car, setting up the structures was an enormous task: “Building a Formula 1 car is difficult – I’ve made about 40 of them, so at some point you know what needs to happen and when. But the infrastructure, the processes, the buildings, the logistics – you rarely do something like that, and it’s a huge feat.”
Cadillac has now built a first test chassis to test the homologation and crash test procedures. “This chassis wasn’t a race-ready car because we didn’t know the details of the engine installation at the time,” explains Symonds. “But it helped us verify the necessary processes—also because of the new safety regulations, which are very demanding.”
Two paths. One call of destiny.
The Cadillac Formula 1 Team’s future begins with them. pic.twitter.com/4r9g6IsDW1— Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) August 26, 2025
Cadillac completed all necessary testing with the prototype in the second quarter. “Our first race chassis is already finished, and crash tests are scheduled for the coming weeks. Many parts are now arriving – we are making good progress.“
A mammoth project with a clear goal
Despite the enormous workload, Symonds is optimistic about the future: ”We are on the right track. The team is growing, the quality is right, and we have a clear plan for how to get everything together by the start of the season.”
Added to this are new engine regulations, with electric drive accounting for a higher proportion of the total power output. For Symonds, this is a decisive step: “New aerodynamics, new car, new engine—all at once. It’s not an easy path, but if it works, it will be an extraordinary success.”
