Mario Andretti Given "Ultimate Compliment" by Cadillac Ahead of Team's F1 Debut

Cadillac has unveiled a tribute to American motorsport legend Mario Andretti ahead of its first Formula 1 race weekend.

The General Motors brand makes its debut at the Australian Grand Prix next weekend after an arduous process to become the 11th team on the grid.

Having bagged the three preseason tests in Barcelona and Bahrain to prepare for the 2026 campaign with drivers Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas, Cadillac has announced that its inaugural chassis will be designated as the MAC-26, shortened from Mario Andretti Cadillac.

Mario Andretti | Gary Mook/For IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Chassis name reflects Andretti's "spirit"

The naming comes on the eve of Andretti's 86th birthday and is a nod to the 1978 F1 world champion's influence on the team's creation.

“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 Cadillac F1's CEO Dan Towriss.

MAC-26 🤝 Mario Andretti Cadillac 26

A name rooted in a World Champion’s legacy. A chassis built for the future. pic.twitter.com/RLspKfN1i3
— Cadillac Formula 1 Team (@Cadillac_F1) February 27, 2026

Team principal Graeme Lowdon added: “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."

Andretti was instrumental in the squad's entrance to F1, though it has been a long and winding road to get to this point.

Dan Towriss, Graeme Lowdon, Cadillac — Cadillac F1 Team CEO Dan Towriss and team principal Graeme Lowdon at the Italian Grand Prix at Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, 2025. | Cadillac F1 Team

The outfit was originally called Andretti Global and led by son Michael, who raced for McLaren in the 1993 F1 season. But after being rejected by FOM [Formula One Management], Andretti stepped aside, and Towriss' TWG took over the entry and formed a collaboration with GM and Cadillac, which was eventually permitted a place on the grid.

Addressing the tribute made by the Cadillac team, Andretti Sr said: "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.”