Favourite to supply GM with interim F1 engine emerges
General Motors likely to buy an F1 engine from either Ferrari or Honda.
Ferrari have emerged as the early favourite to supply General Motors with an engine from F1 2026.
BBC Sport report that while “talks have not been completed”, Ferrari is “the favourite at the moment”.
General Motors have registered as an F1 power unit manufacturer and plan to run their own engine “by the end of the decade”.
However, in the meantime, the American outfit will need to buy a customer engine until they are ready to produce their own. This is not expected to be until 2028 at the earliest.
As such, General Motors would have a minimum two-season interim period to fill after entering in partnership with Cadillac.
Ferrari, who currently power Haas and Sauber, will have a spare supply slot from 2026 when Sauber transforms into Audi. The German manufacturer plans to build and run their own engine.
Honda would be another obvious potential option for General Motors.
The Japanese manufacturer currently power Red Bull and sister team RB.
But the Milton Keynes-based squad has set up an in-house engine division, Red Bull Powertrains. Red Bull’s own power unit, in collaboration with Ford, will debut in 2026.
Honda will supply Aston Martin with engines in 2026 and would have capacity to provide power units for further customer teams.
1978 F1 world champion Mario Andretti is set to serve as a director on the team’s board in a non-executive role, though he will not be involved in the day-to-day operations.
His son, Michael Andretti, will not be the team boss after stepping back from his role.
The American outfit’s recruitment drive to capture experienced F1 talent has already started, with ex-Renault trio Nick Chester, Pat Symonds and Rob White all involved in the project.
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