Formula 1 looks increasingly likely to expand to 11 teams in 2026, as momentum builds behind an entry into General Motors.

Andretti Global’s initial project which involved GM through its Cadillac brand was denied a place on the network due to uncertainty over its future powertrain plans, with a deal with customer Renault pending until ‘until a potential GM powertrain can be produced. Explaining its decision earlier this year, F1 said it was open to expansion in 2028 if GM committed to its powertrain project.

Michael Andretti stepped down as CEO of Andretti Global last month and RACER understands this has brought greater GM influence around the F1 project, with groundwork now a real possibility.

Although it is unclear what the power unit supply situation will be for the first two years of the project, sources indicate that there will likely be further discussions regarding the approval of the team in as a new entrant from 2026. An announcement regarding the next steps could arrive as early as the end of this month.

The GM-backed team has continued development of a 2026 car at a satellite facility at Silverstone, and is confident it would be ready to join the grid in just over a year if confirmed. He had already obtained approval from the FIA ​​that he met all the criteria it had set for a new entrant; the governing body that evaluated potential expansion teams a year ago.

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said on Thursday that a full GM entry would be more attractive than the previous Andretti plan, and insisted teams do not have the power to block such a move .

“I think if a team can make a contribution to the championship, especially if GM decides to own the team, that’s a different story,” Wolff said. “And as long as it’s accretive, that means we’re increasing the popularity of the sport, we’re increasing the revenue of the sport, then no team will ever object to it.

“So I put my hope in it. No one from Andretti or Andretti Global or whatever their name is has ever said a single sentence to me to introduce what the accretive part is. But it’s not necessary, because the teams don’t decide. It holds commercial rights with the FIA. We don’t have a say.

F1 declined to comment when contacted by RACER.