Formula 1 News: GM vs. Ford War of Words begins in F1

A classic American automotive rivalry between General Motors and Ford has ignited in Formula 1, with executives trading sharp barbs over the depth of their respective commitments to the sport ahead of dual entries in 2026.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

The exchange began when Dan Towriss, CEO of the upcoming Cadillac F1 team, dismissed Ford’s partnership with Red Bull as superficial. “It’s not even close,” Towriss said. “One is a marketing deal with very minimal impact, while GM is an equity owner (in the Cadillac team). They’re deeply embedded from an engineering standpoint, and they were involved from day one. Those two deals couldn’t be more different.”

Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford fired back, expressing disbelief at the characterization. “I would say, actually, the reverse is true,” he countered. “They’re running a Ferrari engine. They’re not running a Cadillac engine. I don’t know if they have any GM employees on the race team.” Ford defended his company’s tie-up with Red Bull, adding, “Nothing could be further from the truth, in terms of our partnership with Red Bull being a marketing effort.”

The spat highlights contrasting approaches as both manufacturers return to F1 after long absences. General Motors, through its Cadillac brand, secured approval as the 11th team on the grid for 2026. Backed by TWG Global, the effort features GM as an equity stakeholder with significant engineering input from the outset—though the team will initially use Ferrari power units before developing its own.

Ford, meanwhile, is re-entering the pinnacle of motorsport via a technical partnership with Red Bull Powertrains, contributing to the development of 2026-spec power units following its last factory involvement with Jaguar Racing in 2004.

The war of words quickly spilled beyond F1 circles, landing in NASCAR’s backyard where Ford and Chevrolet (GM) have battled for decades. NASCAR icon Dale Earnhardt Jr., a longtime Chevrolet driver and current team owner with deep GM ties, amplified the drama on social media. “Damn let’s go. I miss these manufacturer wars,” he posted. “The battle is back on! I love it. Kick their ass TeamChevy.”

Fans echoed Earnhardt’s enthusiasm, calling for the renewed manufacturer intensity to invigorate NASCAR, where Chevrolet and Ford dominate the grid through powerhouse teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske.

Rooted in over a century of competition dating back to founders Henry Ford and Louis Chevrolet, this latest chapter underscores how F1’s growing U.S. footprint—with three American races and booming popularity—is drawing domestic giants into global battles once more. As 2026 approaches, the verbal volleys signal that the GM-Ford rivalry is far from confined to oval tracks.